The Rural Iowan Returns

D-Day has arrived; a bittersweet feeling actually. A part of me misses home, but another part of me will miss what I have created down in Buenos Aires.

Finishing up the rest of my packing early, gave me the time to get my hair cut at least one time in Argentina. The reason I waited so long was because I was scared I wouldn’t be able to communicate how I wanted to have it cut, and would have walked out of the barber shop without hair. LOL! (That was not the case, and everything went fine.)

It's not the "G" word...

I can’t believe the time has come…my last day working for uplifted. When I arrived, Rachael was already in the office working way with the window open. We had a nice conversation while we plugged away at the keyboard; mostly about how my time in Buenos Aires was.

Then the rest of the team, Nora and Katie, and our new intern Shelly, arrived. We mostly talked the rest of the morning away until Withers (the owner of Uplifted) was available to take us out for lunch at Fabrica de Tacos.

Uplifted Game Night!

The sight of the Retiro neighborhood and Retiro bus station was my welcome back to Buenos Aires. I finally arrived back in the city around 7:30 am this morning and took bus 151 to my place. By 8:15 am I was back in my studio collapsed on my bed.

Before I left Rio Cuarto, I was told by Nico and his mother to text them when I arrived back to my apartment. I did just that, but the internet wasn’t working in my apartment, and I was so tired I fell asleep as soon as I hit my bed.

It's only a "See you later"

Well, the end of my Rio Cuarto trip has arrived. After three days of pure awesomeness, it was time to say see you later. (But only after another full day in the city.)

Waking up around 11 am…it was time for me to do something for the Wagners after all of the generosity they showed me this past weekend. However, everyone was either at work or school so it was just Nico, Marta, and I. Famous for my American breakfast, it was time to put my skills to work! We walked to the nearest vegetable store and purchased the ingredients I needed. Pancakes, scrambled eggs, and breakfast potatoes…let me finish your thought…"Wow Lance, what a great breakfast!”

What are clay courts?

Because of the trip to Johnny B. Goods…it was another late night. I think when I finally opened my eyes for the first time…it was past noon! (The frequency of that happening is starting to increase….Hello Argentina time. LOL!)

On the bright-side, when you wake up after 12:00 it’s still time to eat…just a different meal of the day! Since Gabi, Nico’s mom, was still visiting family in Cordoba, Nico’s dad, Richardo, made a quick trip to the store and grabbed some raviolis. OH MAN! DELICIOUS! Thanks once again, Wagner family!

ASADO TIME....NICO STYLE!

Taking advantage of our Saturday morning to recover from the Boliche outing that kept us out until 5:30 am, we weren’t up and moving until about 1:30 pm.

This weekend was also the semi-finals and finals for the US Open, so we chilled and watched the match between #9 Wawrinka and #1 Djokovic. It contained one of the most exciting final sets I’ve seen because a game went into its 12^th deuce.

Welcome to Rio Cuarto

Despite my rather early morning arrival in Rio Cuarto, Nico was there to pick me up from the bus station.

Driving to Nico’s place I’ve got my first glimpse of “normal” Argentina. I quote “normal” because Rio Cuarto is not tainted by the dense tourist/expat population of Buenos Aires or the touristic feel of San Antonio de Areco and Tigre.

Located on a quiet residential street was Nico’s place; a two story house with another house sharing the right wall. (I want to say it is very common in Argentina for houses to be right up against each other.)  Since his parents and sister were still sleeping we caught up in the kitchen until his family started to wake up.

Another Trip to the Retiro Bus Station

Is it possible? Today was my last Thursday at Uplifted!

My morning was pretty simple. Nora and I rehashed last night’s networking event. Sounds like they acquired a few potential business leads which is always a good outcome for a networking event!

Finishing a video production blog explaining how to properly script out a message, I was then placed on another task by Nora. She gave me the job of writing a quick portfolio for the advertising headquarters company called Integrate. This company simplifies the media buying process; actually a rather nice concept for all of you media buyers out there.

Networking Time!

I’m starting to find a correlation between the three jobs I have had during the past decade. My motivation necessarily isn't due to the work, but the people I work with.

From my former team at Pamida store #886, to my previous team at Barzen & Associates, to my present team at Uplifted, I feel at all of them I’ve formed long lasting relationships with my coworkers. (At least I think I have with the Uplifted team. LOL!)

SUSHI NIGHT...Japanese style!

Apparently Rachael thinks I have changed a lot since she has been gone; not necessarily regarding my appearance but my eating habits.

Before she left I was eating rather light lunches consisting mainly of fruits, crackers, and/or cookies. Since Monday, she has watched me eat chicken and vegetables, pilaf, and candy. I can see where she is a bit shocked, but I can attribute one reason to this change; I have a better grasp on my remaining pesos.

Yayoi Kusama @ MALBA!

Being bombarded with the smell of freshly brewed coffee as soon as I walked in the office door, I as caught off guard. Then it hit me, it could only mean one thing…Rachael is BACK!

Walking into the marketing office it was indeed the case because I was greeted with her cheerful and talkative personality.  Her vacation in the United States came to an end Friday as she finally returned to Buenos Aires.

Tristan's Despedida

Day 5 of the nice weather streak! Keep it up BA and I might have to move here. LOL!

The day was perfect to spend souvenir shopping at the ferias. Traveling first to the Plaza Serrano feria and then to the Plaza Amenia feria only to be not impressed by their offerings, so I hitched a ride on the linea 93 colectivo to the massive Recoletta feria.

Kayaking in Tigre

Tigre…the city of many streams/rivers…the place with water taxis…and my Saturday’s destination. Even a good portion of my Liquid Bar family came along which was great because I finally didn’t travel alone. LOL!

With my phone’s earsplitting wakeup call, I was ready to go by 8 am. The plan was to have our group of six meet at the estacion lisandro de la torre to take the Mitre Tren to Tigre. With a travel time of about an hour and a cost of $1.80 pesos, I was able to experience my first commuter train ride.

1/2 Kilo of Helado...GONE!

During one of the many times watching YouTube videos at our cooking events, we’ve ran across this video for Fridays. As Rebecca Black would state, “It’s Friday, Friday…Gotta get down on Friday.” (If you haven’t seen it…check out the video because I can't believe it has 57 million views. It leaves you with an expression of, "Really?"LOL)

Living like a King

As a consequence of a great time last night, I was a little sluggish this morning.

Working on a blog post for the video productions company, I learned all there is to know about budgeting for a product explainer video. Did you know: it typically costs between $2,000 and $4,000 per finished minute for an explainer video? No? Well, now you do! LOL!

A Few of Many Work Conversations

While Iowa was experiencing heat index numbers in the 100s, I was working with the office windows open!

After a chilly start to the week, it looks like the end of the week will be flawless. With temperatures in the low 70s, sunny, and a slight breeze, Buenos Aires begins to tease me with a taste of the spring weather I will be missing.

Sweet Tooth...Eliminated!

Snoozing my alarm was not an option. I had to be at the office a little before 11am today because our other newbie, Shelly, was scheduled to start.

First on my list was to show her how to fill in the monthly batching document. I gave her guidelines and tips that would make the process easier. Being a visual learner myself, when I train others I train them visually as well. I walked her through the previous month's batching document so she could have a better grasp on what I was talking about. In every job I’ve had I always ended up training people; hopefully, it attests my communication abilities. LOL!

Yucca or YUCKa?

Devoting a little of my work time in the morning for finishing Saturday’s post, it was ready to be published. When you pack your days full, the time you have available to spend on other things (like your blog) dwindles away. However, I have yet to miss a day of blogging about my adventure, so I can’t stop now.

When Katie arrived, we talked about our weekends and then about business. I told her how someday I would enjoy operating my own company. (Hey, everyone can dream and have ambitions, right? LOL!) We then went into brainstorming ideas that would thrive in a small town. It was a great conversation because it’s a topic interesting to me.

Souvenir Shopping? Pssh...Fail!

It was another busy day in Buenos Aires, folks! There were two major items on my agenda; souvenir shopping and visiting the August Underground Market.

My day started off in front of the computer looking at Omnilineas.com mapping out the bus lines for my adventures. Today’s excursion involved making four bus connections; the most I’ve ever done in one day.

San Antonio de Areco...Rural Life!

Wow! A 5:45 am alarm; I haven’t heard one of those since I left Iowa.

Snoozing my alarm for 10 minutes, I finally pried myself out of bed. Luckily I packed my backpack last night or I would have surly forgot something; wait, I did…I still forgot my water bottle.

I made it to the Retiro bus station in perfect time because I had to spend a few minutes trying to find my bus. The Retiro bus station is huge, and I would say it has over 100 loading spots.

Two Newbies in the Office

Two new interns have arrived! We have Alex and Shelly both from the IES program, and both from the United States; Cincinnati and Pittsburg, respectfully. Hopefully, Dante’s constant passing of gas didn’t scare them away. It was hilarious.

Being Friday only has one thing in common with every other Friday…Weekly Roundup for the Democratic Republic of Congo client! This week’s events were mixed. At the beginning, you had the rescue of 80+ recruited child soldiers and by the end of the week you had the shelling of M23 controlled areas by the UN and DRC Army.

Miscellaneous Tasks at Work

Just like yesterday, we are in a very comfortable position when it comes to work assignments. With that said, I was able to convert a few hours of my morning to work on personal assignments.

The first non-work-related task I did was for the World Food Prize. I used my Skype account to make an international call to the charter service in Des Moines to verify what days we were on their schedule and how many buses they had assigned.

Boca Juniors or River Plate? Who?

It was Wednesday and we are making our way over the hump!

Nothing new or exciting happened at work today. It was the same routine just on a different day. We are sitting in good shape with everything in terms of blogs and SEO audits. I guess I did work on building up the video company’s social media audience on Twitter and Facebook.

Cooking For Eight

Can this streak of nice spring-like weather continue? We are on day four, and today made it into the low 70s; I was a happy man!

Once I arrived at the office, I immediately opened the windows in the marketing room. Finally, a day where we didn’t have to have the heaters on, but sadly I think that will change come Friday.

Tango Disappointment

Today started off with playing some Truco in bed on my phone, and boy was I on fire! I have to keep my skills sharpened, so I can teach the card game when I arrived back home. Playing for about an hour I rolled myself out of bed and opened the shades to let some sun shine in.

Peering through the glass I could just sense this was going to be another nice day, so I opened my balcony door to freshen the air in my studio. What a great way to eat breakfast, listening to a few birds over the city noise, I will take any sign of nature I can get!

Buenos Aires Natural Food Fair

Needing some extra resting time to recoup from the long day of walking in Colonia, I decided to sleep in until noon. It felt so good!

Today the weather was exceptionally nice; I would have to say upper 60s and not a cloud in the sky. This was the perfect weather to make a trip to the monthly Buenos Aires Natural Food Fair.

Arriving at the park I noticed it was packed. People were sprawled out everywhere soaking in the Vitamin D. Not to mention that the fair was also packed.

Colonia, Uruguay!

Getting back a little later than I expected from the night before, I decided it would be a good idea to set the alarm on my phone so I didn't miss the ferry to Uruguay.

I set the alarm one hour ahead of 11:30am because I was told to be there an hour early. For some reason when I looked at the ticket I thought it mentioned the ferry left at 11:30 instead of 12:30, so I panicked and thought I was going to miss the nonrefundable ferry ride. I was wrong and happened to be an hour and 15 minutes early; oh the joys of being lost in translation. LOL!

Empanadas Method #2: Baked

Today was Kelly’s last day at work because she landed an internship with The Argentina Independent and starts next week. As soon as she arrived we went out for lunch.

The place we ate at was called Boulangerie Cocu, which is a French Café nestled in the middle of Palermo Viejo. It was quite the place and very delicious; orange juice made from scratch, artisan breads, and a very French atmosphere. Even the staff was dressed in traditional French attire. Best of all, lunch was on Uplifted. LOL!

American Breakfast Night

My Thursday at work was rather sluggish. I completed a portfolio on Janet, which is a client of the video production company. Janet6 is their new product and it is a network infrastructure serving researchers and educations communities in the UK.

The rest of my day was made up of enhancing the Facebook and Twitter audience base for the same client. I thought working on Facebook and Twitter all-day would be fun, but after about three hours that thought was starting to blemish.

The Dreaded 130 Colevtivo

I can truly say….damn, what a day; more specifically, what an evening.

The day started off as any normal Wednesday would; a nice 30-40 min walk to work followed by the famous hump day news scan. Next up was an article for the video production client talking about why you should use a video for a new feature your business is introducing. As you can see, it was normal.

Mostacho's...in Des Moines?

Wow…temperature change! The brisk morning weather caused me to wear both my sweatshirt and jacket. However, this is still nothing compared to an Iowa winter so I will take.

After four days without coffee, I was finally able to brew some this morning because the office finally had power to outlets. The electrician discovered that cause of the constant circuit breakage could be one of two things: 1) a faulty outlet adapter in Anish’s office or 2) the fuse wasn’t powerful enough to handle all of the computers we had plugged in.

You Call that A Brownie?

As soon as I arrived to work I remembered the outlet problem wouldn’t be fixed until the afternoon. Too lazy to make my way back to my place, I worked from the bookstore/café place on Thames.

Proper etiquette when using a café mainly for their free internet is to order something from their menu. I ordered a $16 peso brownie topped with dulce de leche.  When the waiter delivered my brownie by setting it on the table, I just had to take a picture of it.

Lazy Sunday...Well Kind Of

Today started off a lot like Saturday; minus the movie. My day didn’t really start until the afternoon.

Making a quick lunch and reading up on some current events happening in the US, I was ready for the next part of my day.

First Taste of Prohibition

Watching a little TV on a Saturday morning from bed never hurts, so that’s exactly what I did. My Saturday was kicked off by watching Los Angeles de Charlie, aka Charlie’s Angles.

Inevitably it was time for lunch after the movie, so I made my way to my favorite panaderia and grabbed a few facturas. I can’t disclose how many I purchased, but they went great with my mate.

Hipodromo de Palermo

Today marked the end of another work week, and that means my time in Argentina continues to dwindle away.

Being the first one to the office has both advantages and disadvantages, but today I experienced one of the disadvantages. The breaker for the outlets was switched off again, but this time I couldn’t make it stay on. Without internet I can’t do my job, so I decided to find a café and email the rest of the Uplifted team to tell them the situation.

The Power of One Email

What a day. Those three simple words can sum up everything about today. With surprises coming from all sorts of directions, how could I remain sane?

The day started off with a surprise run-in with Marcelo on Fitz Roy in Palermo. However, that wasn’t the strange part; it was who he was with. Marcelo was with Michael Day…a guy from the United States….from Iowa…from Des Moines. I’m now a believer in the “we live in a small world” concept. LOL!

Updates From Home

I’m starting to hope I didn’t get my co-workers sick with the bug I had a few weeks ago because it was miserable. I mention this because today, both Nora and Katie were sick and working from home leaving me the only one at the office until Kelly came in at 1:30 pm.

After finishing the hump day news scan, I was going to start on the Uplifted blog regarding analytic web tools, but I got sidetracked by a Google Hangout session with Aunt Pat. Even though it was cut short with a poor connection, I still got some updates about the garden and the sparse sweet corn patch.

Hablo Espanol, No Ingles

I finally got to Skype with the gang at 2716 Grand, my former office mates! It was refreshing to get an update from them on how things were going in Iowa. The updates they provided were refreshing to hear and ranged from sad to humorous.

Skyping with them made it feel as if I never left; especially when my former boss came into where they were Skyping and chewed them out for not having anyone at the front to welcome clients. Hearing their scolding reassured me that nothing has changed since my departure. (Sorry for getting you guys in trouble, but it gave me a great morning laugh. LOL!)

Two Turns Into One So Easily

Work started as soon as I walked through the door. Ever since we started our new SEO service, business has been getting pushed back. As a result, we didn’t complete August’s batching by last Friday leaving some leftover blogs to write. I assume by now you know what I did today.

After finishing the portfolio I didn’t finish on Friday, I jumped right into a blog about user-generated videos, and why they are important for a company to encourage their fans to produce them. Once completed it was followed up by another portfolio article.

Sunday Discoveries

Besides another morning walk through the park, this Sunday was treated as a day of rest.

Even though it was only about an hour walk, I still ended up seeing new places and things. For instance, I ran across something my mom would have loved to see. It was a two story working carousel complete with music and all. I have seen many carousels, but never have I seen one that was a double-decked. Here’s a photo just for you, Mom. LOL!

Concert Numero Dos!

Having all the intentions to have a lazy Saturday, it didn’t turn out that way.

After I woke up, I decided to listen to some music to start the day off right. After about 30 mins, I was energized and ready to do what I always do on Saturdays…walk around the neighborhood. This little activity kept me occupied for about 3 hours.

I walked through the park and people watched. I saw people doing yoga, making out, playing soccer and cricket, and even practicing medieval sword fighting. Trust me…if you like to observe all sorts of things…walk through the parks of Buenos Aires. LOL! (Except I think it is this way in a lot of the big cities.)

Horacio Lavandera in Concert! Free!

Friday...it just rolls off the tongue!

This week was a bit more action packed than others because we were hurrying to get the August batching done and prepping for Rachael’s three week vacation in The States starting Wednesday of next week.

Since it was Friday, I started off with the weekly round-up for the Democratic Republic of Congo client. Reading news pertaining to the DRC is always a great way to start your Friday; simply depressing.

What's Cooking, Good Lookings #2

The day started off much colder than yesterday; I’m talking about 20-30 degrees cooler. Still having a cough from last week's cold, I decided it would be a good idea to take the bus to work. (Keep in mind this would be the first time in 61 days I would have used public transportation to get to or from work.)

You will never guess who I ran into on the 10 am bus this morning…Angelina Jolie! LOL! Actually, it was co-worker Rachael; either way it was awesome running into someone you know in a city this big.

Surviving Hump Day

The day just dragged on, and on, and on…and on.  I wasn’t even the only one who thought so; both Nora and Kelly felt the same way. I would look at the clock on my computer and it would say something like 1:00 pm. After what I felt was 30 minutes of time passing, it only ended up being 10 minutes. (It reminded me of the cartoons or shows where students would watch the second hand inch its way to the dismissal bell, but then it would stop with five seconds to spare.)

A Nice Shade of Pink

I woke up extra early today because my plan was to publish a few blog posts from the office. Little did I know what was in store for me upon my arrival.

I made it to work 30 minutes before my normal time, giving me the perfect amount of time to do what I had to with The Rural Iowan blog. Everything looking normal I went to turn on the lights….no power. Pondering for a little about what my next action should be, I decided to head to a café and shoot out an email to the rest of the gang warning them about the power issue. Just as I was about to head out the second set of doors, I decided to look at the main fuse box. With the flip of a switch, we were back in business.

Getting the coffee maker ready to brew some delicious morning joe, I pushed the on button and…nothing. Thinking it was the outlet I moved to another room, again…nothing. After about 3 rooms, I knew it was the coffee pot. I went to check one more fuse box which was located in Anish’s office. Flipping a few breakers, the coffee was brewing. NOW, we were back in business; what a morning. LOL!

I must have been in a helping mood today because on my walk home I ran into a stranger with a broken down car and a policeman attempting to push it to the curb. Seeing them struggle a bit, I went to help the policeman push. Maybe this will get me a free pass out of jail if I ever end up in the Argentinean slammer. (Now, I want to play Monopoly.) LOL!

With water restored at the apartment, I did some of my laundry. When I opened the washing machine door, I noticed my nice white bath towels weren’t white anymore but a nice shade of pink. I forgot about the new red dish towel I tossed in last minute. I guess you have to learn the hard way periodically. 

I also discovered Argentina's definition of a MILF sprayed on the side of a building along my walking route.

No Water Again...

Practically sleep walking to the bathroom so I could shower and eliminate my morning breath, I turned the faucet knob on and…nothing; still no water! Using leftover water from my water bottle, I was able to efficiently brush my teeth but the shower was going to have to wait. I hate to say that, or even think it, because I’m a clean person. I guess life is full of surprises...some good and some leaving you without water for a shower.

Ultimate Frisbee...ARG Style!

There was nothing to complain about (weather-wise) this Sunday. Sunny, hardly any wind, and warm; basically, a perfect day for outdoor activities.

I started my morning off with a stroll in the nearby park. There were tons of people running, rollerblading, walking their dogs, playing hockey and soccer...all having a great time. I even was told about an “Immigrants Day Fair” by Llewelyn that I just had to make a stop and check out.

La Rural

Needing a few hours of recovery from a great Friday evening, I wasn’t ready to start my Saturday until noon.

With time running out to see the 2013 La Rural Exposition, today was going to be the day. After paying an entrance fee of only 35 pesos, I was on the grounds. I saw poultry, rabbits, cows, pigs, horses, and even chinchillas; finally, a slight feel/smell of rural life in this massive city.

Office Outing

Normalcy Friday!

The work place was back up and running; I guess power was juicing the office since the early afternoon hours on Thursday.

Our office goes through so much coffee it is crazy, but it is just because our grounds are that good. LOL! With that statement you probably guessed it; the office was without coffee…again. Katie was bringing in the beans but not until 2, so how was the office going to operate until then? Specialty coffees from Starbucks!

Beef...It's What's For Dinner

Feeling much better today, I was ready to get out of bed and head to work, but an email told me differently. Apparently the office was without power again, so it was a work from home day!

Working in your night clothes while jamming to music until the afternoon rocks! The only thing I was missing was a cup of coffee.

Estoy Enfermo!

I must tell you, when I wake up abnormally early something is wrong. Rising out of bed around 6:45am, I was aching and had a headache from hell. Looks like I wasn’t making it in to work today.

Heading back to bed, I just laid there staring at the colorless white ceiling. It was at this moment I convinced myself I needed to get some medication. The question now was what medication I should get because I was unfamiliar with the Argentinean brands.

Safari Argentina Style!

I don’t think I’m in Argentina anymore.

On my way to work during another cold morning, I ran across this character. There was no doubt I was going to take a picture to document what I saw. However, this sighting now made me on the lookout for either a lion or giraffe roaming the streets of Palermo SOHO. Wait, those animals are in the zoo just a few blocks from my place. LOL!

For the past week, the office has been undergoing a repainting renovation because moisture caused the paint to peel practically everywhere in the office. Today the painters planned to be at the office at 10 am; therefore, requiring someone to be there to let them in. Trying to get myself out of the waking up late routine so I can get more out of my days, I volunteered to be that person.

Yep...Definitely Winter

Talk about a slap in the face this morning from Mrs. Argentina Winter. It was probably the coldest day since I've been down here. Highs barely reached 45 degrees, and my morning walk to work was simply brutal. Next time, I'm definitely taking the bus. I didn't do it today because I was too lazy to walk two blocks south to Uriarte street; however, instead I walked the 15 + blocks work. My logic was definitely absent morning. LOL!

Sundays (AKA Recovery Days)

Getting to bed after 6 am is a clear indicator of a very unproductive day, and today that theory was validated. I didn't even wake up until noon!

As of last night, I have now surpassed my couchsurfing hosting record! I have successfully hosted two people, with number two being Maurice, a landscape architect from the Netherlands! It’s humorous to think about this new record because I’m not from Argentina; yet, I've hosted more people than I did in the United States.

Feliz Dia Del Amigos!

In Argentina and several other South American countries, the 20^th of July is observed as Feliz Dia del Amigos or Friend’s Day. This holiday is all about gathering with your friends to hang out so that’s what I did.

Unsure what the night would bring, I didn’t make my way to the La Rural Exposition. I plan to hit that up a few times during the upcoming week hoping to score some asado food because after all it is Argentina’s closet thing to the Iowa State Fair. LOL!

An Act of Kindness

You now have another reason to call me a gentleman.

This morning as I was turning the corner of Juncal and Godroy Cruz, I literally saw an elderly lady tumble to the ground. Being the first respondent, I helped her upright until another man and woman came to assist me because even though I knew what to do, I had no clue what she was saying. The damn language barrier strikes again.

You Can Call Me "Lalo"

Going on day 4 without that delicious, caffeinated, brown colored liquid, I was about to break down and stop at a Kiosco to grab me a morning cup of it. Luckly, Nora was back in town, and because she is a coffee enthusiast having no coffee in the office would never fly.

One of the first conversations we had at the office was a discussion about how desperately in need we were for some coffee. With that said, I was headed out that door to grab some beans from the nearest Starbucks. (About 10 blocks away.)

Dorito Man!

Alright guys, so Wednesday was just a typical day.  Still hanging on to the above average temps made the weather amazing! We even worked with the windows open!

I was actually frustrated with my Spanish class this morning, but at least for the first hour when we were working on irregular verbs. I was having a heck of a time with my pronunciation. Then during the last half we started talking about foods and ordering in restaurants, and I was pretty decent at that section.

Forget Plasic Jugs, Put It In Plastic Bags

I will give it to Argentina, I believe in the way they package some of their food products.

In the United States you see milk in plastic gallon, 1/2 gallon, or liter jugs. Not only does this packaging method use more plastic, but takes up more space when being shipped. A majority of the United State's condiments like ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, etc, are packaged in the same plastic container.

A New Means Of Transportation

My morning walk to work was definitely a strange one. Typically, I stroll past numerous people walking their dogs, scrubbing down their portion of the sidewalk, groups of guys drinking mate on their door steps, you know….the typical Buenos Aires city stuff.

On the streets were the distinctive yellow roofed, black bottomed taxis intermixing themselves with the stick-shift cars and the Linea 34 Colectivos, but something was new. Something I haven’t seen before during my many morning jaunts to the office. Then the familiar 4-H parade chant miraculously returned to my head after nearly 10 years.

My Second Argentinean Goodbye

Sunday was bittersweet; I lost a fellow explorer but gained a remarkable friend! Today marked the end of Nico’s stay, so we hit up a lot of places before his bus left Retiro at 8 pm. I hope you are ready for a history lesson because this post is stuffed with information!

Criolla Mac & Cheese Saturday!

Let the weekend adventures begin!

Basically, Nico was my tour guide today because he had three straight days this week to discover new places while I was at work. The first place we went to visit was one of the city’s most popular parks, and surprise, surprise…it is only a few blocks from my place!

The park was packed full of people because the weather was extraordinary! One of the gardens we passed through actually contained three different styles and had one main axis. (I know this because of my architectural student tour guide. LOL!) Very cool!

Everyone Needs A Semi-Lazy Friday

I woke up to one song blaring through my mind… “It’s finally Friday, I’m free again!” 

It sure brought back memories of when I was younger driving to school/work and every Friday morning hearing that song play on the radio. CLASSIC! Little did I know this Friday was going to be jammed full of tasks.

Rainy Day and Hamburguesas After Midnight

WOW…THURSDAY! This could only mean one thing…another work day. LOL!

Today at work, I had to knock out a few blog posts by the end of the day. One was for the candy company and the other for the video production company. The blogs were actually really interesting to write. For the candy post, I wrote it in a way listing foods that would pair well with the company’s candy. I provided five different pairings, one pairing for each meal of the day. For the video production post, I specified how a company can brand themselves in an explainer video. Both were interesting topics for me, so I had a fun time writing them.

With the work day over, I walked back to my place…in the rain. This was the first day it rained while I was commuting to or from work. There was one point during my walk when I had to wait under an awning because the rain was coming down pretty good. LOL! I would have rode the bus back, but I missed it by a block. Bastards!

Back To The Job...And Liquid Bar

With the 4 day weekend over, it was time to get back into the work day routine; waking up at 10 am, taking a shower, brushing my teeth, getting dressed, packing my computer, etc. Everything was the same, repetitive process except this time there was a friend crashed out on my couch.

After a few days of getting to know Nico, I could see he was a trustworthy individual, so I gave him the keys to my apartment. Talk about a true couchsurfer host personality. Through my Couchsurfing adventures, I’ve had several people lend me keys to their apartment, and now I see how easy it was for them to do so. I just gave him the rule to be back by 5:30 pm so I could get into my room…and he was there to buzz me in.

9th De Julio (Argentina's Independence Day)

Well, I just had second Independence Day celebration in one week. July 9^th happens to be Argentina’s Independence Day!

The day started off with a trip to Jumbo so we could get the ingredients needed to make authentic homemade empanadas. Picking up some steak, onions, a pepper, and a variety of spices, we were well on our way to making some of the best empanadas in the history of Argentina.

La Bomba De Tiempo!

Spending my birthday in a different country was amazing, and it wasn’t just any normal birthday…it was my 25^th! Even though I missed heading out to the Court Avenue Des Moines bars with my friends in Des Moines, I still had a great time.

The highlight of my day was definitely in the evening when Nico and I went to check out La Bomba de Tiempo. Attending the show is a must when in Buenos Aires. It’s a rhythmic dream beyond anything else.

The New View OF Buenos Aires

Meeting up with Nico, the friend from Rio Cuarto, at 8 am meant it was the second day I had to set my alarm since I arrived in Buenos Aires. Nico was a great resource who answered a lot of my questions about Argentina, and he was traveling to the city to study some of the various architecture styles located here. With my couchsurfer mentality and strong belief in the program, I offered him some accommodation; in exchange for some lessons of Spanish, Truco, empanada making, and of course being my personal translator. LOL!

An Unexpected Surprise

Is waking up craving chocolate chip cookies a good thing? I ask this because that’s exactly what happened. However, instead of immediately going on the search for those amazing little pieces of black cocaine, I caught the last action of the ladies singles final in the Wimbledon.

A Blackout?!

Last night will definitely be a memorable 4th of July to say the least. I was in the midst of practicing my Spanish and all the sudden the power goes out. After a few minutes sitting in the dark telling myself it would come on soon, I started to doubt that belief. Opening the blinds, I noticed my whole section of the city was lacking electricity; talk about creepy. On the humorous side of the situation, it was pretty cool watching the movements of flashlights in the other sky rises. In a way, I guess you could call them the Buenos Aires form of fireworks. LOL! The power was out for about three hours.

The King of Beers

Happy 4^th of July!

Weather forecasters in Buenos Aires should consider incorporating question marks in their predictions. Looking at the weather yesterday, they listed an 80% chance of rain…by 8:30 pm…we might have only received a drop or two. I will mention it was a bit foggy on my way home from work.

Bike Friendly? You Decide.

July 3^rd never seemed so dull, until you spend it in a country outside of the United States. On the positive side, Davis invited the coworkers and I to a 4^th of July asado at his place! This will be my first asado in Argentina, and I hear they are definitely something every foreigner has to try. I will explain what an asado is in an upcoming post, but for now you can think of it as the Argentine version of a BBQ.

I Forgot About My Month Anniversary!

I forgot to mention yesterday was my one month anniversary of living in Buenos Aires! I can’t believe how fast the first month just flew by; putting things into perspective, July 4^th is only a few days away, the Gladbrook Corn Carnival has already come and gone, this upcoming Monday will be my 25^th Birthday, followed by the Felix Grundy Festival next weekend. WOW! With a just a blink of an eye, I could married and have kids. (Totally kidding btw LOL!)

Truco...NO...ENVIDO!

If you know me, then you are fully aware I love playing card games.  Well, last night as I was browsing through a cultural book my land lord left for me, I ran across this traditional Argentinean card game called Truco. The game is played with 2, 4, or 6 players divided into two teams, and the concept reminds me of the trick-taking game of Pepper. It is played with a special deck of cards simply comprised of different suits when compared to a regular deck of cards; Clubs, Swords, Gold, and Cups. I will learn this game by the time I leave Argentina. LOL!

My Buenos Aires Studio

The first night in my apartment was excellent for a number of reasons; one being my mattress was actually soft. With a good night’s rest, I was energized for what my Sunday was about to bring.

I decided to head to the Recoleta feria again, but this time I wanted to take my time and actually look at the artisan items in detail. When I took my time I noticed a lot of items I didn't see the first time; 75% of the jewelry items where done in silver containing polished stones, many paintings were done in watercolor and acrylic, anything leather from belts to purses, and knitted scarfs.

The Dreaded Goodbye

My host: Vera

My first Argentinean goodbye was said today to one of the nicest individuals I have met in Buenos Aires thus far; Vera Ruy. 

After my morning shower, I zipped up my suitcase, put the last items in my backpack, and organized my room back into its original state. When I reached the second floor balcony, Vera was nowhere in sight. Walking through every room of the house, I concluded she was out-and-about running an errand. Having no clue what time Vera would return so I could have my check-out, I decided to catch a cab to take my stuff to the studio and return in the afternoon to drop off my key.

'Twas the Night Before the Big Move

I dished out a lot of US Dollars in Buenos Aires today, but it was for a good reason. Shelling out $1,950 ($1,450 for 2.5 month rent and a $500 deposit), I am pleased to announce there will be no further accommodation needs throughout the rest of my stay.

Today, at 12:00pm, I officially became a resident of Barrio Palermo. I rented a decent studio in proximity to the US Embassy and will be there until I depart on September 12, 2013. This means I now have my own address, so if you want to send me a letter or package…email me and I will send you the address. (Another positive, my studio is even closer to my beloved Jumbo. LOL!)

Cervesas Y Arepas @ Caracas

What’s the name given to Thursday? Throwback Thursday? LOL! Today was pretty chill throughout the entire day.

I again woke up to knocking noises on my door, except this time it was the cleaning lady wanting to change my sheets. Of course I wasn’t going to say no, so I let her in my room and with a blink of my eye (well, ok….maybe a couple of minutes later) my bed was neatly made.

It's City Life

I woke up to the familiar sounds of knocking on my door. It was Vera and she wanted to show a prospective renter my humble abode. With definite bedhead, the “morning daze”, and still in my pajamas I’m sure I was a sight to see. 15 seconds of glancing around doing 360s, I believe the renter was pleased with what she saw and accepted the place.

Look! I'm on TV! Well, Kind of...

My new apartment is almost official…well, it’s pretty much official because I gave my reservation fee to Christina and she has it listed as “booked” on the website. LOL! All I need now are the keys, which I will get Friday at noon! It’s exciting to have that task finally behind me. It was such a heavy burden on my shoulders but if it came down to the wire I had several backup plans to fall back on.

Must...Have...More!

Everyone has probably been told at least once, twice, or many times not to treat cough drops as candy; I will confess, I have been told many times by my grandma and mom. None of that matters down here in Argentina because I discovered this heavenly product containing flavors like apple, watermelon, mandarin-peach, and menthol. It’s an addiction that can’t be stopped. They are called Halls Colors, and they are not from this world. It’s like a 2-in-1 deal…you get the cough medicine and a hard candy. LOL!

A Tour of my June Home

Ah...Sunday...the day of rest, so that is exactly what I did. (Well..most of the day LOL!) Since nothing really exciting happened today, now would be the perfect time for me to take you on a tour and show you where I've been living my life for the month of June; a quaint house on Soler and Humboldt streets. I hope you're ready!

Barrio Chino (Chinatown)

Four loads later, I officially completed my first Argentinean laundry experience. See Mom…I can do it. LOL! Since Vera doesn’t have a dryer and everyone was gone, my clothes found areas to dry all over the house. I used the shelves in my room, the hallway banister, and the clothesline on the terrace. Everything was dry and back in my closet by 15:00 (3pm).

Sloppy Joes...The Argentinean Way

Happy “Bridge” Holiday! Yep, you heard correctly. Today was another Argentinean “holiday.” From what I understand, since Flag Day fell on Thursday they used Friday to “bridge” the holiday to the weekend making it a 4 day holiday weekend; maybe The States should think about this concept. LOL! Another day off for me!

Nothing too exciting happened on this very nice brisk sunny day. I watched a few more Netflix episodes after waking up around 11am again. On the bright side, I did feel the urge to cook something instead of eating out…so I did just that.

Happy Flag Day!

Feliz Dia de la Bandera! (Happy National Flag Day!) This public holiday marked my first Argentinean holiday, and I was given the day off. Just like most national holidays in the US, a lot of places were closed today but a lot were still open.

Bringing the US to AR

Watching the Announcement

I essentially took a break from Argentina today, and focused on an event that was happening back home in Washington, DC. Today was the announcement ceremony of the 2013 World Food Prize Laureate, or should I say Laureates. The State Department streamed the ceremony live on their website, so that provided me the ability to watch it at work. As mentioned during the announcement and on the Word Food Prize’s website, “Three distinguished scientists – Marc Van Montagu of Belgium, and Mary-Dell Chilton and Robert T. Fraley of the United States - with share the 2013 World Food for their independent, individual breakthrough achievements in founding, developing, and applying modern agricultural biotechnology.” Sounds like Mike and I will have our hands full this year organizing transportation for the Borlaug Dialogue, but it’s not an issue because I’m extremely passionate for this organization.

 

We were extremely busy at work today. I arrived at the office a little later than normal because I forgot my wallet and had to trek back to my house; plus, the internet was extremely slow in the morning. The task of the day was to create portfolios for nine of our video production company’s clients; all due by the end of the day. Despite my leaving at 4:30pm, we got them completed on time.

Kibbeh...Essentialy Raw Beef

One thing I still find amazing about Buenos Aires is the fact I’m living in almost two completely different worlds. When I walk to work around 10:45am every morning, it’s like the plague has knocked out all the businesses on my route.  About half of the stores are hidden behind graffiti decorated steel garage-style doors and blend perfectly into their surroundings. Come nightfall, or when I get off from work around 6pm, the atmosphere is alive again, and my route is much more interesting to walk.

Ah...Chinese Food, Finally!

Cravings…many cravings haunted me throughout my day. Mexican food from La Carreta; loaded potato pizza from Fong’s Pizza, and even Hy-Vee Chinese food; yes, I know the craving variety was beyond abnormal, but they were all present. Almost every block in Palermo has at least one restaurant on it and sometimes two! It’s a food-lovers paradise. I guess it is a perk of the big city life!

It was a Chili Type of Day

It was chili day in Buenos Aires, and no…that was not a misspelling of the word “chilly.” Today was Buenos Aires’s Annual Chili Cook-off competition in Recoleta. This event had over 25 participants who brewed up their own special version of chili, all competing for the title of champion. I was able to taste four chilies, with one of them being from co-worker Anish. Another one that s tried was a chili taking ingredients from Latin American places he traveled, with one of the unique ingredients being dried coconut leaf flakes. Everything was amazing except the venue because it was rather small and clustered. As the picture shows, it was difficult to move throughout the event because of all the people.

An Underground Market

I woke up with one mission on my mind, and that was to hit up the Buenos Aires Underground Market put on by the Argentina Independent. The concept of this event was help support Buenos Aires’s independent producers. I’m always up for those types of things; plus, one of my coworkers sells jewelry and it was her big debut…why not go out and support her?!

The Blue Dollar

I finally made a trip to the Cambio, and I’m back in the spending zone because I now have pesos again! One thing you need to know is that there are two different exchanges for foreign currency. You have the official exchange which is currently sitting at 5.32 pesos to 1 dollar, and then you have the blue dollar exchange which is done on side streets and is currently sitting at 8.05 pesos to 1 dollar. Now you do the math. LOL.

Couchsurfing Never Fails!

First of all, sorry for the late post but here is what happened yesterday. I decided not to go to the International Meet-up at Liquid Bar on Wednesday night because I still haven’t visited a Cambio to exchange some cash. I figured I would fight to make the 66 pesos stretch until Saturday, so far I’m doing pretty well.

US-US-AR-AR-AR-SA

Despite not hitting up Liquid on Wednesday, I decided to do some socializing at a Couchsurfing meet-up last night at Tip’s Bar on Thames. I’m glad I attended because I met some really cool people. I meet several Portenos, a student from Ohio who is spending a semester in Buenos Aires, and a traveler from Johannesburg, South Africa. Couchsurfing never ceases to amaze me because so far I have yet to gain a bad experience from them. PLUS, Tip’s Bar had this awesome deal for Couchsurfers where if you purchased a draft beer and got 2 free slices of pizza…can you say supper?!  LOL.

Beef, It Was For Dinner

With Buenos Aires being one of the largest international cities in the world, there is a wealth of “insider” information available on the internet. Not only are they interesting to read, but these sites are the source of my information, the backbone of adventures, and the explainer of the Buenos Aires "dos-and-don’ts." When traveling to any foreign destination it is always smart to do a little digging and fact finding prior your departure.

In general...

For All You Dog Lovers

Just like Iowa has cows and pigs, Buenos Aires has its dogs. Comfortably, I can say it’s very apparent that man’s best friend rules in this Argentinean concrete jungle because at least 1/3 of the people I run into on my ways to-and-from work have a leash firmly held in hand.  You can expect to see any type of dog to be at the other end of that leash, but more commonly a Boxer, Dachshund, or Golden Retriever.

Daily, I run into several dog walkers and their entourage of four-legged companions.

Just Café Workin'

Today started the second full week of my Buenos Aires internship. My Monday started off abnormally well, unlike the Snapchats I got from some weary workers in the USA. LOL. It was sunny with not even a cloud in the sky and only a slight breeze to keep some movement in the air; overall, it was a picture perfect day.

The City's Oldest Barrio

Calle Defensa in San Telmo

Visiting the Buenos Aires barrio (neighborhood) of San Telmo was today’s objective.  Many of San Telmo’s streets still contain their 17th century cobblestone and are lined with colonial style buildings. Engulfed with countless antique shops, this barrio is home to Buenos Aires’s most popular Sunday feria. It attracts tourists from all over the world; in fact, I heard many English conversations while I walked down Defensa Street.  San Telmo contains the heart of the tango, as there are many tango parlors in the neighborhood.

My First Impression of Recoleta

Friday night was my first weekend night out. I hooked up with the Italians, Mario, Sergio, and a dude from England, and we hit up a popular night club called LIV. This place was definitely a boliche (club in Argentinean). It played house music non-stop switching djs about every hour. Disco balls are huge in clubs down here; speaking of huge…this boliche had the biggest disco ball I have ever seen.  Just like any club on a Friday night, drinks were expensive. Two cervesas cost AR$55.

 

There was even a point in the night where Minnie Mouse...

The Band Lavail

Lavial @ L'arc 6-7-13

Last night was another night of adventure in good ol’ Buenos Aires, Argentina. It started when my flatmates invited me to have supper with them. Vanesa and Nicolas were very nice and welcoming, plus Vanesa made a great torta. Both were interested in learning about my home town and where I grew up, so I told them. I kept the questions going by asking them in return questions about their hometown, La Plata, because I’m a curious one as well. After showing each other pictures and such, they invited me to go with them to L’arc, which is a night club about six blocks from where I’m living. So far all of the clubs here have been been similar to those in Las Vegas.

Here we watched a live Argentinean band called Lavial.

I'm definately from Estados Unidos

By now you are all probably wondering what the weather has been like since I’ve been down here in the southern hemisphere. This week the weather has been similar to an Iowan spring, minus the precipitation. High temperatures have hovered around the mid-60s and there was one day it hit 70 or got close to it. I’m told that will change as Argentina moves further into winter.  Lows have been around the low 50s and upper 40s. Overall, it has been pleasant and warm enough for me to walk the distance to work and other destinations in just a t-shirt; however, I am the one from Estados Unidos (United States) because everyone else is wearing winter coats already.

 

A Night to Remember

This morning I woke up to a pleasant email in my inbox! I received my first Smarty Pig donation, with a message that went like this, “Lance, have an amazing time! I’ll be living it though your blog :)!” That message explains the entire concept behind The Rural Iowan blog! The conversational style I’m writing in helps me bring my Buenos Aires experience to you! (As you can see I’m excited because I just got done using five exclamation marks consecutively.) Also, if you do contribute, please include your mailing address because I would like to send you a personal thank you from Argentina.

Immediately after sifting through my email, I had a nice Skype session with my former work crew at Barzen & Associates; who I highly recommend purchase a microphone before our next session LOL!

Toddy Galletas...should be Illegal!

Buen dia, amigos!  I believe I finally found out where that morning whistling tune was coming from; it was in fact my host because when the kitchen light came on the whistling started. LOL! Today I woke up at 9 am with a noon deadline to be at work; I don’t have my keys yet. However, before I get into any more details about my day, I must tell you about my first favorite junk food item I have down here!

Oh yes! My Toddy Galletas

Yes, you heard correctly…health-nut me had some Argentinean junk food, but not just any ordinary junk food…they were Toddy Galletas! (Click the link!) As you can see these round, crumbly, cookie disks are packed full of chocolate chips. Just look at them! Hungry yet? Now I know what you are probably thinking…those are just the South American version of Chips Ahoy cookies. Nope; those are called Pepitos. (Click the link!) If my heath goes decreases because of these Toddies, I have my co-worker, Rachael, to thank because she was the one who introduced me to them on my first day. LOL!

Taking the Subte (Subway)

I’m kind of getting use to this waking up naturally thing. Today, I was up at 9 am again because I didn’t have to be at work until noon. It’s nice; you don’t have the abrupt, repetitive, annoying wake-up alarm blaring in your ear just to snooze it for another 5 minutes. LOL. However, every morning since I’ve been here there has been this really loud whistling happening outside my window. I want to say it is a parrot because it happens around 9 am and I swear I heard another noise with bird-like characteristics. I will have to ask my host in the morning when I see her again.

Before I did anything today, I had to figure out how to get to ByTArgentina, so I could pay June’s rent. Whipping out my trusty map I noticed it was quite far from where I was living, so I decided taking the Subte (subway) was my best and cheapest option. Note: this would be a first-time experience for me! Out the door, I walk with a mission to ride the subte.

Buenos Aires Subte D Line

When I reached Avenida Santa Fe, I saw those steps that lead to the city’s basement…the subway system. Not knowing what to expect I prepared myself for the worst. Stepping up to the boleteria (ticket office) I purchased a pass for dos viajes (2 trips), there and back. Catching my first glimpse of the subte, my initial thoughts were this isn't so bad. It wasn’t crowded and was fairly up- kept.

Once my rent was safely deposited, I made my way back to my house to pack up my computadora (computer) and headed to Uplifted (my employer) which is in walking distance from where I live. After ringing the white intercom buzzer I was greeted by Rachael, the one who found and interviewed me for the position. After a brief tour of the small office...

OHHHH...MY ACHING LEGS!

Man my legs are sore! You would be saying the same if you walked nearly ten miles through Palermo; the neighborhood in which I live. Today was all about discovery and becoming familiar with my surroundings. I will not lie; my first night was a bit overwhelming. It could have been because of the nearly 24 hours of traveling I did and I was tired, or because of the language barrier. I’m going to say it was a little bit of both.

After a good night’s sleep and waking up at 9 am , I was off to make my own map of Buenos Aires. I studied several maps my host provided me with for about 30 minutes or until I felt my routes were memorized. Basically, I didn’t want to be caught standing on a corner with a map in my hands looking like a tourist. LOL. I slipped my shoes on, put one map in my pocket for emergency use, and out the door I went...

Living on the Tarmac

As I stated previously, goodbyes are hard even if it is for a definite amount of time. Last week I said my temporary farewells to the rest of my friends, relatives and parents. Sure those farewells were melancholy in a certain context, but everyone was extremely supportive of what I’m doing. (Despite a few worst scenario thoughts LOL) I’m blessed to have all of these individuals in my life because without them it would make what I’m doing a lot harder.

From the Boeing 777 before leaving the US of A

Friday, May 31^st was departure day.  My mom and Aunt Pat were gracious enough to drive me to O’Hare; which neither of them would ever voluntarily drive in Chicago traffic. (A BIG thank you goes out to them!) O’Hare was the first of four airports on my departure itinerary, and following are my stories: