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!