Moments

Today is my mama's 3rd annual 55th birthday.

I am trying something new today. My room has been transformed into a cafe. I am sitting on my bed, headphones glued to my head. Coffee thick and sweet with real cream and sugar.

Currently I am examining my red varnished nails and cursing my truly uncomfortable bed. I know Jeff would fight me to the death on this one. His new foam mattress (mine is also foam) is 100 times better that his old bed made of sleeping mats and blankets. Foam mattresses for Jeffs in Olympia may be perfectly fine but they are not good for Lizzzes in Buenos Aires. My mattress holds the shape of someone else and there is not enough room for the both of us. I am developing back problems. I think it's from the walking but my roomates think it's from the bed.

I came home to hear a lot of bad news. Rent is being raised 10%. $270 is horrible for rent here because an Argentin would be paying $300 US for a two bedroom apartment. I don't have what I consider a private room, the apartment is drafty and crowded with 7 bodies. I am getting ready to move out of this place. It may not happen until July - but it will happen.

The other bit of bad news I got yesterday was that edd got an amazing job offer back in England. He doesn't know if he will take it - he potentially may leave next week though.

If you remove those nibbles of bad news and look back on yesterday you will see a Lizzz privately enjoying quiet joys. In Spain I found things that made me laugh out loud everyday. My top three: old men on motorcycles, Spanish babies, and little dogs that knew more Spanish then I did. On the whole I have not found things like that here. For some reason yesterday was magic. Buenos Aires was opening its self to me. Showing me the beauty it holds deep in its ruffles. At the beginning of the day I went to the 900 block of Ave. Sc. Ortiz. Don't ask me where I was. I have no clue. I do know that this street was magical because of all the stores that had one thing in common....HILO!! (hilo is thread or yarn). Montanas y montanas de hilo. Anyone who has witnessed me in a yarn store knows how much they captivate me. There will never me anything better than to stick my fingers into a fuzzy merino wool or brush my cheeck against a lucious cashmere. Soft. I love soft. Can there be anything better than a thing that has the characteristic of being soft? Simply put - no.

Sadly, I did not buy any yarn. Most stores had lines wrapping around the block and had bouncers at the door. No thank you. I'll go back during the week.

Yesterday I kept my journal with me and jotted my happy moments. Here they are in order of appearance.


- Sitting at the locutorio (internet cafe) on the computer. People on either side of me are using MSN camera chatting. The girl next to me starts crying when she says goodbye to her boyfriend. The boy on the otherside is talking to an old man with gray hair and baldness. The old man laughs a lot.

- Boy sitting next to me on the train to Nunez. He's singing a song under his breath. The lyrics are in a notebook in front of him. My heart is melting. People don't sing under their breath in public here.

- Boy next to me now writting in his notebook. Both of us writting. Maybe i have inspired him.

- Band on the train. Boy playing bongos and other boy playing the guitar and kazoo. They have a small amp and microphone. VERY VERY CUTE. I couldn't help but break into a big toothy smile. I am contagious. The old man next to me broke into a joyful smile when he saw me. Especially wonderful because people here don't acknowledge others on the streets.


Sunday sweet Sunday. Today marks the completion of my first work week. This job is so much more difficult than I thought it would be.

Difference #1 - 18 hours of work means 18 different jobs.

Difference #2 - I travel so much more than I teach. For instance Tuesday I teach for 4 hours but travel 6. Saturday's class is for 1 hour and I travel 2.

Difference #3 - Students have trouble showing up. Sometimes they don't cancel, so I get paid. Others cancel before the class and I do not.

Let me break down my week for you and introduce my students.

Monday:

8-9 Carlos. Carlos hates English but needs it for his job at an American based insurence company. Carlos loves to read.

9:30-10:30 Nico. Nico is young, smokes constantly through class and loves to talk about ANYTHING.

12-1 Nelson and Jaimena. I don't know because they didnt show up to class.

5-6 Ana. I don't know her because we start next week.

Tuesday:

8-9 Guiellermo, Antonella and Gonzalo. Two hour bus ride!!!! They are difficult.

9:30-10:30 Analia. Older woman. Very nice. Lived in the USA for 3 years when hubby got his PHD.

10:30-11:30 Martin. Very sweet guy. Speaks softly and has a slow smile.

12:30-1:30 Beatriz. Older woman who is insane. She can't sit still. She knows almost no English but that doesn't stop her from talking. He son lives in Canada and is married to a Canadian. She wants to learn English so she can talk to her family there.

Wednesday

10-11 Nico again

1-2:30 I dont know, they canceled.

7-8 Andrea. She's a lawyer. Very sweet. She gave me a ride home once. She's a crazy driver.

Thursday

9-10 They canceled.

Friday:

8-9 Guiellermo, Antonella, Gonzalo again. I wake up at 5:45 for this class.

1-2 I haven't had this class yet

Saturday:

6-7 Pablo. Nice guy. Young. He is a phsyciatrits. Everyone here is a phsyciatrist.

---

---