Chargentina: Buenos Aires on 7 dollars a day. Or not.

Buenos noches amigos! It’s been a super springy day here in Good Aires. That’s what Buenos Aires translates to. Not so sure that’s the best name for this city as I’m pretty sure I’ve developed the black lung due to the smog and bus exhaust. They should call it “Emphysema Aires” or something instead.

Moving on.

So I was so excited to get up and go to work today. I got up around 9, went to take a shower, and surprise! No hot water. I turned the knob for the hot water and nothing came out. So I went to brush my teeth thinking it just might need a minute. All of a sudden yellow water is spurting out of the showerhead like a geyser. I dove to turn it off and resolved to have no shower. So is life in the residencia.

I walked/subte to work. Palo let me in. I talked to her for a moment. I booted up my computer. I checked my email. I g-chatted with Will and Mari Kath. I waited for Palo to give me a task. An hour later, she tells me the magazines aren’t coming. My job was to put the magazines in the envelopes. Hence I have nada to do. I also overheard her on the phone say that my boss is in Italy. How lovely for Rodrigo. The only problem is that he’s the ne who tells me what to do. If I were going to Italy all the way from here I’d probably stay for at least 2 weeks. So I got nothing to do till he returns. Not sure when I’ll go back to work.

It’s like I’m just unemployed and living in a big city. Maybe I’ll befriend the homeless men who sleep on the street. Ask them what they do all day to keep busy.

So I left the Club del disco and the sun was shining. I decided to hike over to Palermo and find all of the wonderful parks I’ve read about. On the way I passed a lady selling dvd’s on the street. She had so many good ones. I bought Mamma Mia and High School Musical – Mexico for 6 dollars. So excited. (Not included in budget. But I‘ve been hunting for these since before I had the budget so it doesn’t count. Right?)

I continued my hike for about 45 more minutes all the while breaking in my new boots. Bad decision. Oh the pain. Darn you leather. I passed the zoo but didn’t go in because I am budgeting and have no zoo money. But have no fear! You can get the whole zoo experience without going in! By walking near the zoo you get all of the smells. It’s like seeing the elephants and hippos but with just your nose. There was a tear in the fence at one point and I saw 4 flamingos.

I find the botanical gardens and the Japanese gardens. To get to the park I really wanted to find I had to cross a street with 14 lanes of traffic. It was maybe the scariest thing since bikes in Mendoza. My map skills have improved but are still not always accurate. Hence I ended up not in the park I wanted to be in. I gave up and went hunting for a lunch spot. I found a cool restaurant with lots of outdoor seating. I ordered a delicious salad. The table next to me had a grandmother, mother, and child who was so cute. She had a Barney stuffed animal. She sang the Barney song in Spanish. “Te amo, y tu a mi. Somos una familia”. Much more tolerable in Spanish. It was lovely. My salad was worth the entire budget I spent on it. I am not good at budgets. I just feel like I deserve treats all the time. Like I had been lost and it was really hot and my feet hurt so I totally deserved to 20 peso salad. Right?

I made it back to the subte and finally back to the residencia. I tried my dvds. Mamma Mia works. High School Musical-Mexico does not. I napped. Both lights are out in our room so once sun set, our room became a cave of darkness. I escaped to the Coffee Store, read my book, ate some medialunas, and drank some café con leche. All good. Now I’ m waiting to go to the VP debate at the same bar in Palermo that we went for the first debate. Can’t wait to reunite with all of the hostile ex-pat democrats.

Back from the debate now. It was typical. Lots of booing and yelling and middle fingers in the air. Why can’t we all just get along? I still miss Ron Paul. I’m not sure yet of my vote. I’m going to the American Embassy on Wednesday to vote though. So cool. The US ambassador will speak.

We ate dinner at this trendy Italian place. Needless to say, I spent over 5x my budget today. I’m screwed. Brucie – call Western Union.

So while I was waiting earlier I wrote you a poem.

Here I sit in the lounge of my international frat house
Sorry mom but I don’t think I’m going to soon find a spouse.

The days are warm, the sun does shine, and I try to speak the Spanish
Sometimes I see things on the street that really are outlandish.

I walk around and strut my stuff, feeling a little vain
But I get what I deserve which is lots of hip pain.

From Hotty Toddy to Alabam to Hola Che que tal?
This year has been full of fun. I’ve really had a ball.

Besos.
Charlotte