Tight Jeans

My pants are feeling a bit snug on me today and not because I'm trying to imitate the ¨tighter is better¨ Latin fashion for women. It's the 5 months of vacation type eating that I've indulged in. Thank goodness I've had to do a lot of walking or things could be much worse. Will have to hit the gym and watch what I eat to get back to where I was before I left. That is of course after I eat my way through my first week home. (See previous post.)

Homesick Tastebuds...

I think our taste buds are the first things to get homesick. At least that's been the case for me. Nothing else have I missed as much as foods from home (besides family and friends).

What have I missed the most you ask?

• An American breakfast complete with pancakes, eggs, bacon, and hash browns
• BBQ Chxn pizza
• Mexican food
• Peanut butter

Though I do have to say that my last Friday in Argentina I ate at this incredible Asian restaurant in Palermo (neighborhood in BA). It was my 1st spicy food in over 3 months. (Point to note...Argentine food though good isn't spicy). I was blissfully happy! After our main dishes my 2 girlfriends and I decided to splurge and order an item on the dessert menu that contained a small portion of every dessert on their menu. It ranks in the top 10 most beautiful and delicious meals I have ever eaten!!! I took pics of both, though I haven't gotten around to uploading them yet.

And then yesterday I went to a restaurant here in Santiago that had falafel! My mouth couldn't believe it! In the spirit of experiencing a new culture and country I have chosen to live with families and eat the food that they prepare for me. So it adds to the depth of my experience and I haven't been disappointed with this at all. Every now and then though, a taste of something familiar is nice.

Mi Bienvenido a Chile

I've been in Santiago, Chile for over a week now. Physically I'm here, but my heart is missing BA in a big way. Don't get me wrong- Santiago is a nice city. It's clean, modern, etc...but I'm partial to the quirky and infectious character that sits heavy in the air in Buenos Aires. You breath and move around in it and sooner than later you find yourself addicted. At the moment I'm adjusting to life away from Argentina. The vibe of Santiago is different, but I have to say that my welcome here was quite flattering.

So I was making my way through the customs line in the Santiago airport like everyone else arriving from an international destination. I waited for my turn, approached one of the counters, handed my passport and forms to the officer, and he of course had trouble pronouncing my name. This has been a common problem on my trip. A way that I help people with my name is telling them that it is like the football team in England. Soccer is a big deal here and everybody instantly knows how to pronounce my name after I tell them that. So naturally I proceeded with this same explanation which then began a conversation. I'm please as punch about the fact that someone can speak to me in Spanish and I can understand what they say and then respond in a somewhat decent manner as well. So naturally I chatted with the officer for a few minutes. Wasn't too long before I realized he was asking me out. Took me by surprise, but also was a bit flattering. The other students who were waiting for me in the transfer van were impressed. 10 minutes in a new country and I already had a potential date.

24 de Marzo

A memory of my time in Argentina that I want to put into words...

It's the 24th of March, I'm en route to the Plaza de Mayo. The street is full of people en route to the Plaza as well. The energy in the air is palpable. I have chills as we walk by group after group of people united behind particular causes. This I think is the way the Plaza is meant to be seen.

A bit of background...the Casa Rosada is the house of government in Argentina. It was from the balcony of the Casa Rosada where Eva Peron made her speeches. It's the political focal point of Buenos Aires and in general a place of gathering. Argentines come here to protest, celebrate, and in general express their opinions.

The 24th of March has significance because 31 years ago on the 24th of March a military government took power in Argentina. What began was 7 years of uncertainty, insecurity, and terror. During those years it is estimated that 30,000 people were taken from their homes, tortured, and killed. Most of their families have no idea what happened to their loved ones and therefore no closure as well.

Every year there is a march on the Plaza de Mayo on the 24th of March to remember the awful things that happened and to never let them happen again. Last year was the 30th anniversary of the dictadura and from what I heard the march was enormous. This year the march was smaller but still made an impact on me. I won't easily forget seeing people of all ages and walks of life in the streets supporting the causes that were important to them.

For any of you that know the band U2, they wrote a song called ¨Mothers of the Disappeared¨which is about this period in Argentina´s history. It pays tribute to those who disappeared and to ¨The Mothers¨ of some of the disappeared that began to demonstrate in front of the Casa Rosada during this time and for many years after.