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Published: August 14th 2008
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alright.
lets get down to the bones of this city.
it's big, loud and dirty.
people love the color black.
and i like it.
you can never be impatient when standing in line, because people never seem to hurry.
in restaurants you will never be presented the check until you ask for it.
women walk around alone until twelve at night.
and a large number of people are out til at least 4 in the morning.
flower stands on the street - 24 hours
quioscos carrying nothing but candy, cigarettes and drinks are the only places youll find open on sunday.
the people here are seriously gorgeous.
you greet everyone.
you can hail a cab at any hour in appx 3 min.
(please note 30 people per day, die in buenos aires traffic accidents)
call your local cafe and have a cappuccino or a sandwich carried over to you.
on a tray.
straight up these mozzos will bring it to you.
rain or shine. to your apt or job.
even the xxx dvd store---ive seen it happen.
its the coolest thing.
dogs dont need leashes. and they shit wherever they want and no one picks it up.
on trash day, la
can i have four beers?
first lesson also all in spanish! my relation to davy crockett has never been so apparent. basura is piled up on the corners.
its so filthy.
like when i take a shower after walking around all day, theres literally a layer of grime that washes off.
black grime.
but i love seeing these fine men in their fab suits walking through trash and shit in the morning.
and all you have to do is smile at them and theyll tell you youre gorgeous and that you have beautiful eyes.
ha these suckers!i think i swooned around 733 times my first days.
banishing any low self esteem.
the real men never let their dates walk on the street side of the sidewalk.
couples of all ages always hold hands, and make out everywhere.
even i cant help but love them, hello romanticism, goodbye cynicism.
and you say things like ciao, and speak with an italian inflection.
you know maybe live on the tenth floor with the crying babies?
(guess they know about my laundry detergent eh carl?)
anyways, it is awesome.
now otra cosa, before i left mi amiga buena nikkita told me to ask myself a question and search for the answer and upon my return i will have found it. like a magic trick
or something. so, my soul-ution (ha. ha.) has not formed entirely but the whole process of this experience still floors me. i feel totally empowered and self reliant. to be honest im ridiculously and incredibly shy. in sacramento id get nervous ordering coffee. its horrible, but i would constantly worry about what everyone else thought of me. its exhausting and an unhealthy view of self.
i always feel like, somebody's waaaatching me. it's a bad energy. here i know im not speaking properly. i know this whole place is uncharted and unprecedented territory. osvaldo, my driver who delivered me to my building from the airport. totally patient and helpful even though he spoke no english whatsoever. i taught him how to say how old he was, and he carried my bags and made sure i got in ok. then he gave me his phone number and said if i needed a tour guide he doesnt work on saturdays. im taking it as hospitality. one porteno down 14 million to go!
then the sexiest landlord of my life, sergio or something gives me the lease paperwork to sign, shows me how to open the windows and leaves me with a ciao
you know...
youre shooting the real deal when there is a beer holder next to the arrows. and a kiss on the cheek. (cant wait to go pick up that deposit! mmmhhhhhm)
then i look down at my pinky ring of three years and realize its broken. it broke on my first day in buenos aires. so significant because that ring has been a symbol of what should be self love and independence. you know the commitment to oneself, where you dont live for anyone else (read any man. ha. only dads. your own dad. dont date dads, theyre insane.). Anyways the symbol of my badass untouchable braveness was broken. and i was completely alone. and i realized im not badass and im not untouchable and im not brave. and i AM alone. and that its all defense. the compartmentalization of feelings and emotions is crap. things are going to break and hurt you either way. youre meant to live. like if i got cracked open by one of these crazy radiotaxis, i really wouldnt want tiny boxes of love and hate to fall out of my head. no way man. straight love and hate has now been released into my bloodstream and that just what id want to hit the pavement. hypothetically. by no means am
soap on a stick
its everywhere.
i refuse it. i wishing to paint the streets. and even this release makes me feel stronger and more independent, which is exactly what i had presumed it would not do.
then i met cab driver ghandi (throughout this epic presentation i will reference many drivers). toothless little cab driver ghandi. before we arrived at my corner, i apologized for my bad spanish, and he told me very plainly that he and i were the same. that we are all the same wherever we go or whatever idioma we speak. and its obvious yes but at the same time it started a thought process that made me appreciate everyone i see and our common humanity - something thats comforting and disconcerting at the same time.
and grandpa cab driver who helped natalia and i when we couldnt get the keys to work. standing there in his little kappa pants trying to explain in spanish what to do. when i put my hand on his shoulder to tell him goodbye and thank you, he grabbed my hand and held it and shook it and smiled so big. its humanity and its love coursing through all humanity.
so yep, here i am so very very
not in kansas anymore
when you find a feather stuck to your eggs, its official. far from home. and ive adapted and broadened my sense of familiarity and comfort. isnt that cool? i still cant believe any of this is happening. i still cant stay up til 6 am more than 3 nights a week.
but...
i am working on it.
*note i understand that a month long trip to buenos aires is by no means extreme or pushing the envelope very far, but shit, if this much change happens in a week (una pinche semana!) and under such basic conditions,
i cant wait to see whats next.
be warned world,
yo girl gots her groove back.
(and mah name ain even stella, and i ain on b.e.t. - yet)
and MOB : baby i can bless you and you ain even sneezin
i miss it ok?
it was epic and extreme, thank you for watching, pero ahora im finna dance.
ciao corazones
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theresa
non-member comment
ain't nothing like the real thing baby!
<3 te extrano!