Mid way and couch surfing

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Good afternoon bloggers, it is Super Bowl sunday in some parts of the world including some locations here in Buenos Aires. Game time here is 8:30 local time so it will be a late night I suspect. I am going to head over to The Alamo across the street where there should be a good crowd to watch the game.A nice sports bar with 4 floors of bar with TV's on each so a lively spot.I am not sure anyone from Argentina cares really,football here is of course a different game and in Buenos Aires there are two huge teams and a rivalry between Boca and River.The season has not yet started but they are playing exhibition games around the country.I would love to go to a game but understand it is a tough ticket to get, not to mention taking your life in your hands to attend a game!!

I have decided to end my Spanish lessons and take the remaining time here to try and get out to practice what I have learned.I found that I was falling behind, as the pace of the second level was much more intense and completely dependant on mastery of level one, which was not where I was at. I have advanced a great deal from where I was when I started four weeks ago so will engage in conversations where I can and continue to practice ,as well as study my books on my own. Last day of class was friday and there were three of us moving on to other things so a few of us went out for a "graduation" beer after class. Had a great evening with lots of laughs and story telling. Yesterday was a quiet day of "descanso' (rest). I did wander down to Plaza San Martin to get out in the city and enjoyed the shade on a hot day.Saturday is a much quieter day here in the city but the parks still draw the people out. San Martin is the most revered hero here in Argentina,considered the liberator of the country and also credited with the liberation of Chile and Peru from the Spanish. His remains are resting a few blocks away at the Catherdral but the Park is a better place for the living to rest under the green canopy.

There are lots of travellers here in BA coming from all over the world. I have told you of my experience with the school and the united nations of students who have found their way to my class room from the four corners of the world. Many are what used to be described as backpackers who are drifting around South America for various lengths of time.In my day (god that makes me sound old!!) the backpacker was always visible with their guidebook or map out wandering the street in search of the hostel.I am seeing and learning of how the world of the backpacker has changed with the advent of the smart phone and internet. In todays backpacker world the travellers get off the bus but with smart phone in hand,GPS directions to their hostel at their finger tips and their reservations alread made on the net. They are able to meet old friends and new ones through facebook accounts and are constantly intouch with friends and loved ones via skype,facebook or simple e-mail!! the days of buying postcards and sitting in the park or a cafe to write them with your news are gone.Replaced by mediums like this blog I suppose. I have sent a few post cards however to cling to the past and support the Correo de Argentina.

Hostels are still alive and well around the world though I must admit some of the stories make hostel life sound like a challenge at times. Something new I learned of however is "Couch Surfing",an amazing network enabled through the internet that puts people intouch with others in the cities of the world who are willing to take in a traveller to, in some cases, literally sleep on their couch!! Josette a Dutch woman from my class is here couch surfing, she actually has her own room but it costs her nothing. There are websites like "couchsurfing.org" where you register and set up your profile before you can begin to surf or receive surfers.You set up your rules about what works for you as a host and surfers seek out what works for them as a match. Security is handled by the system of the profile and references that you can read about peoples couch experiences or the surfers ,posted by people they have stayed with or places they have stayed at. References must be scrutinized and profiles carefully read but the system seems to work well and people are couch surfing everywhere. The allure of it,beyond the savings of money,is the opportunity of host or traveller to immerse themselves in another culture and opportunity to learn through their interactions with people from other lands. Quite amazing actually. I may let my couch or spare bed out to surfers this summer.

Well enough for today,I am missing you all as the time goes along. Take care

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