Much-needed family time

My mom and Bill were here visiting for 2 weeks! They left this past Wednesday, and I know I'm a bit late writing about it but I must say, it's taken me a while to ease back into my life after their visit. It was so hard to say good bye, and I'm just finally digesting the visit enough to write about it! Their visit was wonderful, fun, hilarious, and necessary to my sanity, and their departure was incredibly painful.

It's funny how you don't realize how homesick you are until a piece of home comes walking through the door. I've been here now for 4 months, and hadn't really felt homesick at all (I mean I missed people, but I wouldn't really classify it as homesickness per se), and having visitors just brought it all back into my head. I started thinking about my life at home with not only them but with my other family (my dad, my niece, my sister), my friends, my bicycles.... haha! Yes, it's true.

Anyhoo, though I'm sad it's over, we had such a great time together!!! I laughed so hard I cried on many occasions. My family is ridiculous, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Basically, we ate our way through Buenos Aires for 2 weeks straight, with the occasional excursion or activity tossed in for good measure. I'd been making lists of restaurants I wanted to try for weeks, and took full advantage while they were here! After all, a place that feels expensive for someone earning in pesos is still incredibly cheap when looked at from the American dollar perspective. For example, a fancy steak dinner, including appetizers, side orders and wine generally comes out to around $20 USD per person, which is just crazy.

Here were some of our favorites:

1. La Brigada-- A well known and celebrated parrilla in my neighborhood of San Telmo boasting juicy steaks, outstanding service, and a comfortable ambiance complete with a live piano and accordion player. We fell in love with our waiter, Jorge, our juicy bife de chorizo, the provoleta, and the panqueque de dulce de leche for dessert, which Jorge literally drowned in hot molten chocolate.

2. Cantina Pierino-- We never would have found this place if it hadn't been for the expert recommendation of my friend Liz, who promised us "the best Italian food in the city." Daaaaaamn she was right!!! The place has a spectacular Italian-tastic ambiance, sprinkled with members of the original owner's family bustling about serving, cooking, and checking in with customers.... it's now on the 4th generation! Something clearly must be working. I will never forget the plate of homemade raviolis I ate, smothered in a creamy garlic, porcini mushroom, and chard sauce. To die for.



3. La Cholita-- The place is owned by the same people who run Cumaná right next door, and although Cumaná is the one that seems to get all the raves, we tried both, and we all unanimously preferred La Cholita for its eclectic menu, huge portions, veggie-friendliness (my mom and Ali split a spectacular roasted veggie plate, and couldn't even finish it), and fun atmosphere. I adored my chicken skewers, and might have even finished them if I hadn't loaded up on their free homemade bread loaves while we sipped wine and waited. Worth the wait-- and wait, you will.

4. El Desnivel-- From the outside, you would never know that inside are quite possibly the best steaks in town... in Bill's and my humble opinions, anyway. I mean, oh man, I was rocking a pretty serious steak baby after our meal, and it was worth it! My mom also enjoyed her first chicken milanesa, and all was devoured. We loved the service, the plastic tablecloths, and the bang for our buck. Not to mention, one of the best slabs of meat ever placed in front of me.



5. Origen Café-- It's less than a block from my house. How had I never been there before?! Serving up foods made with all organic, free-range ingredients, this little café also serves up one of the biggest and most satisfying cups of café con leche I have had in Argentina. I enjoyed a hearty bowl of vegetarian lentil and veggie soup, served with warm whole grain bread. I'll be back with my laptop soon to take advantage of the free wi-fi and chill atmosphere.

Warning: my fingers are getting tired, so my reviews are going to start getting shorter...

6. Café Tortoni-- We saw an incredible, traditional tango show here, and had some delicious cakes after the show. A historical site, and a must-see.



7. La Cabrera-- Probably one of the most well-known parrillas in the city, and deserving of its reputation. Delicious food, huge portions, diverse side orders, but a bit touristy.

8. El Federal-- One of the oldest places to eat in San Telmo, and right across the street from my house, I can literally look through the windows from my bedroom.... creepy. Anyway, great sandwiches, great burgers, terrible service. What's not to love?

9. El Nacional-- Another gem located right the street from me in San Telmo, we had one of our favorite lunches of the trip here. Mmmmm... I'm still thinking about my grilled chicken panini. This place also turns into a fun dance spot at night.

10. Bio-- A yummy 100% vegetarian restaurant located in trendy Palermo Hollywood. My food was over-salted, but overall the place was yummy, and it was nice to see things like seitan and tofu on a menu for a change. I'd go back.

And that, friends, marks the end of my restaurant blabbery!!! We went to about 15-20 different places overall for lunches and dinners, but I can't possibly write about them all!

We also did more than eat. Their first weekend here, we had an amazing 2 day and 1 night stay at an estancia called Don Silvano, about 30 minutes from a cute town called San Antonio de Areco, in the provincia of Buenos Aires (aka outside the city). There, we sampled the gaucho lifestyle by riding horses, watching traditional folk dancing, and chowing down on asado. We made some new friends (there were a surprising number of locals there, given the touristy nature of the whole thing), and and had a really relaxing time. My mom and I also bought ourselves pairs of alpargatas, which are the traditional shoes worn in Argentina. They are suuuuuper comfortable, and more importantly, dirt cheap!

They also really wanted to meet my friends, so we invited 10 of my favorite people over to their rental apartment in Recoleta, bought a huuuge amount of empanadas and far too much wine, and all sat around eating and drinking one afternoon. It was great! It gave them a chance to meet my [amazing] friends, and my friends a chance to see where all my insanity comes from. ;-) The best part was that everyone loved each other, got along great, and had a fun time, so I'd say it was a big success.

My mom had some bad luck here-- she got slipped a counterfeit $20 peso bill (sadly, this is quite common), almost got robbed on the subte when she caught a woman digging through her purse (also, sadly common), and learned the hard way several times that change, especially monedas, are hard to come by (now do you believe me?!).

I'll be honest though-- ugh this is going to come out wrong. But something about knowing that my mom and Bill had to experience some of the really crappy aspects of living here, like getting ripped off or having someone refuse to make you change (as the 'rents put it, 'you have to spend money to get money' because people won't give you change unless you buy enough stuff) made me feel like they better understand my experience here and what I deal with each day, and thus made me feel a bit better. At least now when I complain about monedas or the subte or the sketchy taxis, I have someone back home to commiserate with. :-/

Anyway, back to activities. During the week, we saw the Cementerio de Recoleta, Puerto Madero, San Telmo, Palermo, downtown and the famous Calle Florida, La Boca, and lots of sights, like the Casa Rosada and the mechanical flower. I continued to work my full work schedule, so while I was off working, my mom and Bill had time to explore the parks of Palermo, wander the streets of the city, and even go to Colonia, Uruguay for the day (which they looooved!).

Here they are strolling through Puerto Madero at sunset:


And of course my mom and I had to have our picture taken in front of this HILARIOUS statue:


Their second weekend here, we headed to Tigre, just outside the city. Tigre is known for its gorgeous river and ecological reserves and islands to explore, and is a very outdoorsy place to be... which was interesting, because the day we were there it was pouring rain!!! Bad luck. Though I initially advised against going in the rain, they still wanted to go, because getting there involved a scenic train ride that they didn't want to miss, so we headed out. It turned out to be well worth it! The train ride on the Tren de la Costa was lovely, comfortable, and scenic, and also very cheap. However, when we finally got to Tigre, there was literally a downpour, and we didn't know what to do with ourselves in a river town in weather like that. The market was closed, and there was no one around. A tour guide named Fernando ended up taking us under his wing. I don't know how it happened, but somehow he and I got to talking, and he offered to drive us into town to a restaurant, so we could at least eat lunch and look at the water. Next thing we know, we are all piling into his tiny, cluttered little car, and he mumbles an apology to us which Bill swears was "Sorry for the mess. I have a dog, and cat, and a kid with 3 assholes."

Hahaha!!! So of course we spent the entire afternoon making jokes about "the 3 assholes."

Anyway, Fernando ended up giving us a driving tour of the area, recommending a delicious restaurant (unfortunately I forget the name) and dropping us off at the door, and then after all that, refusing to accept a tip for his services. We just got lucky, and spent the rest of the afternoon stuffing our faces, drinking wine, and being thankful for him. Honestly, though we didn't see much of Tigre, it ended up being one of our most fun days, because we just sat and laughed and laughed and laughed all afternoon and enjoyed each other's company!

The following day I took the 'rents to the San Telmo market, which I've blogged about in the past. There, they enjoyed their first choripan (chorizo on bread, served with the always-amazing chimichurri sauce), which they became instantly (and rightfully) obsessed with. What's not to love?! My mom also got herself a mate, so she may be sitting at home in Massachusetts sipping on some mate right now! :-)

The three of us just had good, clean fun. We laughed, we cried. We discussed my future, and they of course became confused when I tried to explain why I needed to stay here for at least a full year, even though I'm not necessarily "happy." (It's complicated, and involves a promise I made to myself, one I don't expect you to understand.) It was very emotional, and also very special. They missed me a lot, and I realized how much I missed them, and everyone back home. Having a little taste of them being here made it all the more difficult to see them go. The last day was difficult, and of course my mom and I sobbed our eyes out as their taxi pulled away and took them to the airport. But really, I wouldn't change a thing. I am just lucky I had some visitors and some family time, that I had an excuse to do so much fun stuff, and that I got showered with so much love for 2 weeks.

I taught a class AND got a can of beans!

OMG!



That, my friends, is my can of beans. Ali works miracles, and found them at a store near her house for 5 pesos. Overpriced, but frankly, I'd pay triple. BURRITOS!! I am going to have burritos. *sigh of relief*

I taught my very first class today, and I didn't die! That is a great start. I was actually over-prepared, in the sense that I had more material ready than we had time to go through. It was an "intermediate" level class, and only 2 people showed up (they told me 1-6 would, so I guess 2 is better than 1!), and one was quite advanced, while they other was more of a beginner. It was a challenge because we had to go very slowly even though the other woman wanted to move along more quickly. But overall, I think I did a decent job for my first time! It was challenging, but the students seemed to enjoy it enough (they didn't hate me anyway, which is always a good sign), and I certainly feel like it was great practice and experience. I feel a bit more confident now. Which is good because I am teaching again tomorrow, this time advanced level!

Anyway, I got out of class and walked pretty much directly to Ali and Bata's house for dinner. Ali made fresh pasta with a delicious homemade tomato sauce, a caprese salad, and fresh bread. It was soooo good, and was also so great to get out of the house! I feel like I have been holed up for 3 days doing nothing but lesson planning, and I needed a break! They are wonderful, and I'm so lucky to have friends in town to give me that family feel. Ahhhh I needed it!

You know what else I need? Weekend. Saturday the plan is to go exploring around the city and see some of the hot spots, and then try to convince some of the students on my program to go out on Saturday night. Should be fun! Sunday night I am going to an asado with some of Ali's friends, which of course should be a blast! Oh man, listen to me. My brain has already fast-forwarded to the weekend. I am exhausted and need a serious brain break. This program is no joke!

Getting my vegetables...

...isn't easy around here! In a culture filled with empanadas, carne, pizza, pan, and more carne, I sometimes feel like I'm eating nothing but meat and cheese.

Part of the solution was that when I looked in my wallet a couple days ago, it hit me hard that Buenos Aires is not so cheap after all. Before I got here everyone kept telling me, "oh, it's so cheap there!" Yeah, well they were wrong. Apparently it used to be cheap, but now I feel like it's about the same prices I'm used to in the States, which is both unexpected and lame.

So I've taken to preparing my own food at home to save money, which is nice because it means I can make whatever I want. Within limits. The limits being that the kitchen here is tiny, gross, and unpleasant, so I don't want to prepare anything too lavish. However, it's perfectly suitable to make pasta, a sandwich or a salad.

I've been stopping by a fruteria every day to pick up what I need. They look like this, more or less:


The process is different than in the states, in the sense that you don't walk in and start selecting your own vegetables, but rather you actually go in and tell them what you want and they get it and bag it for you. I learned this the hard way, by walking in and grabbing my own veggies and having everyone look at me like I was the biggest jerk on the planet. Yup, the hard way. But now I know.

Today, I'm planning on whipping up a salad of lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, and avocado, with oil, lemon and salt. Simple and yummy. And you'd be hard pressed to get someone at a restaurant to sell you a salad here without an accompanying meat dish. For example:


That was my lunch on Monday. It's called milanesa napolitana, which is a piece of meat fried (milanesa), then covered in ham, sauce, and cheese (that's the napolitana part). Milanesa is a very typical Argentine dish, as the Argentines love their meat FRIED! It's usually served with french fries, but I finagled my way into a side salad. It was delicious, but I was stuffed for the rest of the day, and I didn't even finish it! That is a seriously heavy meal.

Anyway, tonight I will be teaching my very first English class! I will be teaching a real practice course every Thursday and Friday for the next 4 weeks. I'm really nervous! I have been working on my lesson plans for the past couple weeks, and stressing about whether or not they are going to work. Here's to hoping they will! My class tonight is an intermediate level, and I plan to teach about "apartment hunting" and the words associated with that. I'm going to have them role play some apartment hunting scenarios, and write their own "apartment for rent" ads. Then my class tomorrow is an advanced level, and I'm planning on talking about euphemisms. Hopefully they will actually be advanced, and will be able to get into an interesting discussion about how and why we use them.

Then I'm headed to Ali's house for dinner tonight after I teach! Yum! I seriously cannot wait for this weekend. I feel like all I've done is study since I've been here, and it's very tough. I don't feel like I have a super great sense of the city at all, so I am excited to do some exploring around town on Saturday and Sunday, and hopefully get some good stories and take some pictures to show all you devoted blog readers. ;-)

Parte de la familia

I'm having a fantastic time so far! I really, really love Buenos Aires, and I think it's going to be a great year abroad. I've been here only 2 days, and I'm already loving it. Of course, I haven't started school yet, so a lot remains to be seen, but my first impressions are phenomenal, and that's gotta count for something. If only the men were taller, and I didn't think my colon was going to give out on me from so much meat, this might be the perfect country.

So when I left off, I was getting ready to meet up with Ali, Bata, Nathan, and Scott for dinner on Friday night. We ended up going to a place near Ai's house called La Payuca, which is a place that specializes in carne a la parilla (grilled meat). In addition to sharing a couple bottles of fantastic Malbec, we loaded ourselves down with a ton of meat and potatoes. Bata, Scott, and Ali split a huge meat sampler (I forget what it's called) which had a little bit of everything-- and I mean everything-- including kidneys, intestines, some sort of gland, the whole bit. They said it was delicious... it looked like this:


Nathan and I split a delicious carne de lomo, which is pretty much a prime rib, or something to that effect. Yummmmyyyy!


You eat it with a series of these salsas they give you. The one on the left is the classic Argentine chimichurri, then the next one is salsa criolla, the green one is provenzal (my favorite!), and the last one was a sort of spicy tomato sauce.


Afterword, we checked out a brewery called Buller in Recoleta, where Ali insisted I try the sampler of all 6 of their locally brewed cervezas... she was right! Fantatic. First time I've ever liked a "light lager," to be honest. My personal favorite was the Honey Beer, 3rd from the left. The boys shared a couple pitchers of the IPA, which was reeeeally good, but not quite as hoppy as I'm used to.


About halfway through the sampler, I started to totally pass out and realize that I was waaayyyy more jet-lagged than I realized. (Nathan told me the next day that I kept on apologizing for "being lame" and they kept saying "don't worry about it, you're tired and you won't even remember this in the morning," and sure enough, I definitely do not remember that conversation.) I was totally delirious and passing out at the table, so we finally said our good byes to N and S, and I went and slept on Ali and Bata's midget couch, where I sweated profusely all night long. Wow it is hot.

Anyway, yesterday (Saturday) was a total blast! Every Saturday Ali and Bata drive to his hometown of Adrogue (a suburb about 45 minutes outside the city) where they have lunch with his entire family, and I was lucky enough to be invited! It was incredible-- not to mention, delicious! From the moment I walked in, I felt incredibly bienvenido. I met Bata's dad (Jorge) and mom (Adriana), sister (Paula) and her boyfriend (Maxi), brother (Nachi-- short for Ignacio) and his girlfriend (Sofi), grandmother and great uncle, and aunt (Cristina). What an awesome family!

Bata's dad, Jorge, cooks up a mean asado (basically an Argentine barbecue, with tons of yummy meats cooks on the grill), and the whole family are excellent hosts. I mean, they are hilarious, laid back, a ton of fun, and love food just like me. :-) We spent all afternoon on their gorgeous back patio by the pool drinking soda and wine, eating asado accompanied by potatoes, a mixed salad, a capris salad, palmitas (hearts of palm), and ice cream for dessert.

Jorge cooking his asado:


My yummy plate of food-- lomo (steak), choripan (chorizo on bread), provoleta (grilled provolone cheese), salad, and wine.


Not everyone, but most of the table (L-R: Ali, Adriana, Bata, Jorge, Paula, Maxi, Me):


Food side note: I ate intestines (chinchulines). They were DISGUSTING, but I tried them. I may or may not have spit them out in my napkin...) I did not, however, try to glands or the kidneys. Baby steps.

All in all, it was a fantastic day. Sunny and not uncomfortably hot (probably high 70s), a day by the pool with great people and food... what more could I ask for? Plus, they are hilarious. At one point we got to talking about how Ali and her family always pee themselves when they laugh too hard! (Apparently Ali once peed in the dressing room of an Ann Taylor, while trying on a dress, which she peed all over, and then in turn her mom peed all over her own khakis, and Ali balled up the dress, threw it in the corner, and fled the mall. Hahahahaha!!!) The best part was then everyone started chiming in with pee stories, and I was cracking up sitting there realizing this is the kind of thing MY crazy family would discuss at dinner, and how nice it was to be with a laid back bunch who aren't afraid to talk about a little pee.

Also, in addition to telling me how fantastic my Spanish is (admittedly, it is really good, better than I expected after a 3 year hiatus), they also couldn't get over how tall I am. At one point Jorge pulled out a tape measure and measured me, since I wasn't sure of my height in centimeters. So there we all are out on the patio, crowded around me as I got measured-- 175 centimeters, by the way! Soy muy alta! It was hilarious.

After stopping by for a visit with one of Ali's Argentine sisters, Victoria, and sharing some yummy yerba mate, Ali and I took the combi (shared bus) home to BA, while Bata stayed with his family.

I stopped by my residence long enough to change my clothes and confirm that yes, I live with a bunch of studious Americans who don't seem to get out much or speak any Spanish (avoid! avoid!), I took off once again for dinner with Nathan, Scott, and Ali. By the time I got to N&S's hotel (a short walk from my place), it was about 11:00, which in Argentina is just in time for dinner! We decided on Italian food, since there is a huge Italian culture here and the Italian food is top notch. We dined on really yummy pasta at a tiny restaurant owned and operated by an Italian man and his sweet Brazilian wife, and then headed over to San Telmo to check out the bar scene. We ended up at a sort of Bohemian style bar called Gibraltar, where we drank $8 peso Quilmes beers and looked at boys. I think San Telmo is a bit of a touristy area, because a lot of the people definitely were not Argentinian, but I was struck by how short the boys here are. Uggghhhhh. Beards are very in here, though, so at least there's that. :-) Anyway, we ended up staying out until after 4:00am... again, totally normal for Buenos Aires, but today I'm exhausted.

This is the world's longest blog post, so I will stop now. I am going to go on a drive and some sort of tour with Nathan, Scott, Ali, and Bata today, and then later on get ready for school. Yes, I start school tomorrow! Wish me luck. I'm semi-terrified.