Monday, April 13, 2009

Today (this is about Monday, but we're posted it on Wednesday. We're running behind.) was a very different day for Sonia and I. It started off the same – we woke up at the crack of dawn to get to school by 8am for the new student orientation. We took the Subte to class.

(it was full today, but we found out that this wasn't even rush hour!)

(us out in front of our school!)

Then we started language class with Diego, our little tattooed and cynical Argentinian. I could tell our class was having the most fun, we were all cracking up and enjoying ourselves… but the class felt very uneven. Some could barely speak in Spanish at all! While others, like myself *ahem *ahem* are much more advanced.

All in all, the first class was fun, but I was a little worried since it was all conversation based. I need grammar! I’m good at speaking, but my grammar is whack. I need me some edu-mi-cation. So I’m moving up a level today. The class is great for Sonia though, cuz she has good grammar, but could use some practice speaking. And we met lots of fun people, so it was just a great experience overall.

Sonia had to rush home to work (she had to work till 10pm yesterday, poor girl!), and I stayed for the new student lunch. Then I came up and tried to nap, but alas, I couldn’t. ugh. Annoying.

I woke up and went to the Parque Lezama, which is just a few blocks away from our house. I loved it. Very neighbourhood-ly, filled with old ladies, young couples making out, stray dogs, and weird sculptures.

The parque is located on the original site of where Buenos Aires was discovered. And there are wild parrots or parakeets all around! (I’m not a bird know it all… not sure what they were… but they were loud and colorful.)

I decided I wanted to try yerba mate for the first time. I was a bit hesitant, cuz everyone talks about how gross it is at first, but if you try it a few times, you’re hooked. Sounds just like something I’d love! I went to this bar/café, and gave it a whirl. I added sugar to mine, and you know what? It wasn’t bad! Kinda tasted like really strong green tea.

They served me this huge bowl of caramel (dulce de leche) along with it. It was so dark, I thought it was Nutella… but it wasn’t!

I stopped and bought some meat from a cute little butcher, and on my way home, I met Juan, a guy who lives here…He asked me for a beer, and I thought, “Why not?” So we went for una cerveza (I’m trying to be a more open Erica) and it was actually really fun. He didn’t speak a word of English, so it was good to practicar mi espanol.

I came home to my hard-working Sonia girl, made us some salad, cooked my steak, and before I knew it, it was almost midnight and time for bed!