I got quite a bad cold this weekend (yes I know, too much running through the city and partying), thus I haven't done much since Sunday except for watching the ballet (magnifico), studying the preterito de subjuntivo, and going to the tango classes. I've seen many things that were on my list, but I still need to go to the Evita museum, walk around in the puerto madero, dance tango en la plaza dorrego, and watch 'dracula', an Argentinian musical. Today we discussed the tango 'cambalache' at school. This song from the 1930's contains the sentence 'el que no llora no mama y el que no afana es un gil' (literally: the one that doesn't cry doesn't get breastfed and the one that doesn't steal is a dope). I think - and so does my teacher, ... read more

First week in Baires is already over! Although I speak mostly in English with the girls from school (they're all beginners), I've learned a lot in clases and practised at home and in the city. I got upgraded, so this week I'm in level B2 and I have classes in the morning now. I bought a 48h ticket for the city tour bus, which brings tourists to all important barrios. I did a first part on friday with the girls and the rest on saturday. Saturday was a really busy day with an Argentinian schedule...it started with the city tour bus, which brought me to the barrio La Boca, where I spent most of the afternoon and where I had good cheap lunch just one street further away from the 2 touristic ones. The tour continued ... read more

This very long day started with a Spanish test at 8 (I found the school! It's only 12 blocks from where I live, thus I can walk there, which takes me about 20-25 min). After the test they told us the level, schedules, and teachers and since many girls of our newby group had lessons in the afternoon, we went together to the recoleta cementary, where the grave of Evita is. At 1 PM we got some information and pizza, and at 2 our lessons started. In my class are only 3 students and we were basically talking during 4h. School bell at 6. Then I went to an intenet coffee to organise some stuff for my PhD, went home around 7 (12 blocks again), changed quickly before taking the tube to go to the dancing ... read more

Since coffee shops are the only places with bathroom (and internet), I'm sitting close to the Rio Negro, watching all the people who are jogging, sailing, cycling, rowing... These cities on the coast must be quite nice places to live. Infrastructure is good, it's quite safe, people live in very nice houses (in Puerto Madryn Bolivians own the construction companies, that's why they have solid and beautiful buildings - according to Alejandro, one of the guys working at the hostel. However, I'm a bit afraid of talking about construction and buildings since I know that an architect is reading this ;-) and the weather is agreeable too. The hostel in Puerto Madryn was one of the best ones: central, close to the terminal and beach, nice people, ok temperature in rooms, breakfast without restrictions (a la ... read more

Yesterday I spent most of the day emailing and organising my PhD. I'll make it short: I'm going to Tübingen for my PhD and I'll start around mid-June. Though, everybody, I'm back on the 24th of May -> let's meet then! And of course you're welcome to visit me in Germany, it's not that far from the border. After sitting in front of the computer most of the time, I enjoyed again the nice beach, the 29 degrees aire temperature, as well as the 16 degrees water temperature...(Argentinians think I'm crazy). Next stop is Viedma, well, actually, Carmen de Patagones. Bus's leaving at 2 pm and it's a short trip of about 6h. Btw: comments still welcome ;) I'd actually like to know who's reading my blog...!... read more