The Awkward Traveler

Giant disco balls hung from the ceiling. Their swirly lights dizzyingly projected around the empty dance floor. Couples in suits and dresses stood awkwardly around, waiting for someone to make the first dance move. 

Last night I went to the graduation party of Susanna’s friend, Celia. Her graduating college class rented out a club to celebrate their final academic achievement. It couldn’t have felt more like a prom. 

Perhaps the prom feeling was egged on by the presence of my two time date, Susanna. At least this time I didn’t have to worry about coordinating cummerbunds. 

I’m clumsy. I have to admit it. I’m a liability. In my time working at the bar, I think Ive broken 10 glasses, 1 bottle of wine, and one refrigerator. 

Well the refrigerator wasn’t solely my fault…

It’s back to school week here for me in Buenos Aires. I went and bought school supplies and everything. I dressed myself up real nice, first impressions are everything!

My class consists of me, two other Americans, and a variety of Asian peoples. They come from Korea, China, and Japan. Its actually kind of fun being in a class full of people who don’t speak English, mostly because we must speak in Spanish to understand each-other. 

There are a bunch of small grocery stores here that everyone refers to as Supermercado de los Chinos. For a while I thought they just referred to all Asian people as Chinese, but I’ve learned through my new friends that they are actually Chinese owned stores. So i don’t feel so bad anymore…

Last night I had a terrible nightmare. I can’t remember exactly what happened. But, I know it involved ghosts, me speaking in broken spanish, and a violent giraffe. I awoke from this terror inducing dream in a sweat. I opened my eyes and ahhhhh!!!! There was a tall man wearing a wool coat standing over my bed. He didn’t move but I could feel him starring at me.

Oh wait… I think thats just my coat. Yes, in fact its just a coat. Pheww, take a deep breath, everything is going to be okay.

Even though I realized it was just my coat hanging, I threw it to the floor to further avoid any ghostly confusion.

Today I learned a lesson in humility. I took a Spanish placement exam this morning for my upcoming classes at the University of Buenos Aires. I went in with high hopes, why wouldn’t I? I talk in Spanish at work, I can watch a movie in Spanish, and feel like I’ve been improving. 

Well University of Buenos Aires, I want to thank you for readjusting my self-esteem. I’m a beginner, albeit an advanced beginner. I’ve been spending most of the day justifying my placement. In the end I’ve just had to come to terms with my skills, after all I’ve only been studying spanish for 2.5 years. I took Hebrew classes for 8 years of my life and barely remember how to say hello.

Here’s hoping this beginner graduates to intermediacy, because if we can’t reach for mediocrity than we might as well not even try. 

Sometimes I imagine I’m Tom Joad, traveling the Dust Bowl, searching for a better life. Except instead of leaving Oklahoma, I hightailed it out of the states altogether. While I may not be living through the Great Depression, I am going through a little bit of a money crunch.

I’ve been fired from my internship and my job at the bar barely pays the rent. My trip to the grocery store was painstaking. I carefully selected the most economic items and even resisting the urge to splurge on raisins, red pepper, and sugar cereal.

Possible solutions: teaching english, selling my body, or joining a pyramid scheme.

I’m afraid I got fired let go from my internship. I received the devastating phone call on Tuesday. I heard phrases like “taking a step back” and “afraid we wont be able to pay you.”

In actuality it probably is for the best for both me and the production company. So my days are once again free. That means sleeping in, gorging myself on pastries, and aimless exploration of the city. 

Hopefully I’ll start taking Spanish classes next week. Until then I’m going to live it up…

This weekend I went back home… to the open road. We traveled by bus to the city of Rosario: the 3rd largest in Argentina, home to the biggest club in South America, and inhabited by an absurdly limited number of taxis. 

I forgot how much I missed hostel living. Crazy rugby players, over eager desk people, and dirty communal kitchens included. My body ran like clock-work and the usual hostel bathroom antics ensued. Luckily I never leave home without Pepto Bismal.

More importantly, two of Argentina’s most important cultural landmarks were born in Rosario, the flag and Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara.