The Porteña Diet

I worried that while living in a country that thrives off of steak, red wine, steak, pasta, steak, alfajores (chocolate cookie), and steak I might put on a bit of weight during my time in Buenos Aires. Everyone here, however, is flaca (thin) and I'm not entirely sure it's due to excessive hours at the gym. What I have discovered is the porteña (person from Buenos Aires) diet and workout plan. If you are going to indulge in the wonderful food this city has to offer, then you also must eat and act like a porteña in other ways. You can have the riquisimo asado (delicious grilled meat) for dinner, which won't be until 10 pm, but you also have to have the traditional Argentine breakfast, which is next to nothing. Breakfast here is coffee or tea and possibly a medialuna (croissant) or piece of fruit. The day is then filled with maté, maté, maté (a bitter green tea that also acts as an appetite suppresser), at least one pack of cigarettes and possibly a quick lunch. Your workout regime will include walking absolutely everywhere and a once or twice weekly night dancing at the boliche (club) until 7 or 8 am.
If you're going to eat like a porteña, you're going have to act like one too. Don't worry, the steak is completamente vale la pena (completely worth it).
You only live once and your cholesterol levels aren't that important, right?

niños

I don't know what it is but kids are 1000 times cuter when they are speaking Spanish. I know it's their native language and not a big deal but it melts my heart just the same.
The public school kids also have the coolest uniform. They all wear these white smocks that strongly resemble lab coats and make them look like little scientists! A law was passed that all students must wear the uniform over their everyday clothes to create a sense of equality amongst a variety of classes and economic backgrounds. There are, of course, kids who go to private school and wear a different uniform, which kind of counters this whole equality thing. Still, the baby scientists are pretty cute! I would take a picture but I don't want to alarm any parents that I'm stalking their children. Here is one from the internet:

When I was on a colectivo (bus) in Salta, there was the sweetest nine year old girl sitting with her family across from me. She spent the majority of the bus ride looking over with curiosity as my yanqui (yankee- aka American) friends and I were chatting in English. We smiled and waved which caused her to grin as she dove into the safety of her mother's arms. Her parents asked if I would take a picture of them on their phone. I happily obliged only to then be asked if she could take a picture WITH us! How could we say anything but claro! (of course!) to such a request. My face will forever be preserved on the phone of a random Argentine father.

I'm just a sucker for the Argentine chiquitos (little kids)! As much as I desperately want my children to be raised with as many languages possible, I may have to deny them the opportunity because I swear if my kid said "mamá, quiero más postres por favor" (mommy, I want more dessert please), he'd get diabetes from all the sugar I'd give him.

Must be that mountain air...

A week ago, I was in one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen, Salta, Argentina. A quick 20 hour bus ride to the northern part of Argentina resulted in a relaxing and inspiring 5 day mini vacation. I went with 4 girls, also studying abroad at UB, from California, Florida, and Tennessee. They are all very accustomed to the great outdoors. This city girl, however, is not. Our trip was filled with hikes, lakes, mountains, salt flats, streams, and trees, all of which were exhilaratingly exciting for me. Even the small town of Salta was something new.

After getting off of the bus, we were in desperate need to stretch our legs. Walking around the small town was very different from walking around the bustling Buenos Aires. No one was in a rush or even jaywalking! Being a group of 5 tall, white, english speakers warranted us a look of surprise from nearly everyone. While sitting at a cafe (cafe culture remains strong, even in the smaller parts of Argentina), a father walked by with his two sons. He heard our english and stopped to chat, explaining his son is learning English. We tried to chat with the kid but he was a little too shy to get out more than his name and age. His father was the one really dominating the conversation, which ended up being in Spanglish. Quite often people are excited to meet English speakers and love the practice but we want to practice our Spanish, creating the eclectic Spanglish that I love so much. In Buenos Aires, you'll still find people excited to practice their English but it is less common that heads will turn when they hear it, as they did in Salta. Even though we spent most of our time exploring outside of the town, what we did see was the sense of the small town community. The park was filled with what seemed like all of Salta on Monday, a federal holiday. We couldn't buy food for dinner on Sunday night because everything is closed on Sundays. There was a very strong sense of the Catholic tradition with churches everywhere. When we didn't have enough monedas (coins) for the bus, this sweet old woman used her transit card to swipe us. We of course gave her the amount in billetes (bills), although she tried to refuse. We thanked her profousily to which she replied "No, gracias a Dios" (No, thanks to God) and pointed upward. It's the little things that count. 

Lit up church tower

The next day we took an excursion with a tour guide company to go up the mountains and into the salt flats. This is one thing I'm not soon to forget. I could see salt for miles. In photos it looks like snow, but rest assured, it's salt. The bus driver recommended we buy coca leaves during one of our pit stops. He explained that chewing on them would prevent and alleviate any symptoms from being at such a high altitude. I think we were laughing too hard to actually know whether they worked or not. In the following days we went to Dique Cabra Corral and San Lorenzo, both of which took my breath away. Dique Cabra Corral was this enormous lake in the middle of the mountains that was just spectacular. The other girls found just as beautiful but they're used to seeing something like it. I was in awe. Same went for San Lorenzo, a tiny town outside of Salta. We took the bus and walked through the town early in the morning, before anyone else was there. We found this stream and nature reserve that were stunning. Simply walking around, taking in the view, and sitting to read in the sun made me feel motivated about life. Our last day, we took a hike up the cerra (hill) in Salta. 1,070 steps that followed the stations of the cross to provide us with an amazing view of the city. A cable car goes up from the center of town to the same point but the view was better when we worked for it. Plus, we wanted to get some exercise in before sitting on the bus for another 20 hours. Our hike up was guided by a stray dog who decided to join us and our hike down was accompanied by four others. Two dogs walked with us in San Lorenzo as well. Both times the dogs appeared out of nowhere, walked with us, stopped when we did and in the same manner in which they arrived, they disappeared. It's silly but it felt nice to have the companionship and gave us a sense of being guided in the right direction. 

This trip really made me embrace the idea of "MAKE IT COUNT" and I plan to live by that throughout the rest of my time here and at home as well. I may be living in the city but there is still so much to explore and see, people to meet, conversations to have, and inspiration to find.

salt flats!

San Lorenzo: Feel, Live, Enjoy the Nature

Dique Cabra Corral

our tour guides in San Lorenzo

Hiking buddy

What a view!

made it to the top! 

Even more hiking buddies!

Loud thunder and drums, and the potential for a nature adventure..

Hola!
It has been raining on and off this week and I have got to say, this is the LOUDEST thunder I have ever heard. The whole house rattles! The bi-polar weather reminds me of New Orleans because Sunday and Monday were beautifully sunny and today has just been dark, dreary, and WET! Although I came to Buenos Aires in the middle of winter, I had not yet been expecting the rain. I was prepared to handle cold weather, even if I disagree with it, but not for bleak, cloudy days and torrential downpours. Trying to find the silver lining amongst these many clouds, I have come to a positive conclusion. If I can enjoy myself here despite the terrible weather then I know I am doing great. I have S.A.D. (seasonal affected disorder) which means lack of sunshine means lack of endorphins for me. It's difficult for me to stay motivated and positive when the weather gets gloomy. The weather hasn't been quite optimal but I haven't let it get me down. This is one of those lessons that I hope will follow me back to the U.S. If I can make it in a foreign country on a continent where I knew no one prior to arrival during a gloomy winter, then I can make it anywhere! (albeit, I might have to swim...)

Anoche (last night), my friends and I went to La Bomba de Tiempo which was one of the coolest things I have yet to experience in my life. I say experience because, despite this being a drum circle, it wasn't about hearing the beats. I could feel them pulsating from the floor into my body and making my heart pound almost as hard as the drummer's hands. I watched the drummers grin and I could see the reflection of happiness in their souls. It truly was one of those kinds of experiences that makes you talk about seeing souls. I know I'm going back there several times before returning to the states.

My friends and I had to change our plans last minute from going to Salta (Northern Argentina) next weekend to this weekend, meaning we leave the day after tomorrow! I'm not entirely sure what we'll be doing there but I'm so excited to go explore a part of Argentina outside of BsAs. As much as I love this city, I'm anxious to go beyond city limits for the first time and see what the rest of this enormous country holds. As a born, raised, and continue to be city girl, going to see some mountains and just be in nature for 5 days seems a bit scary. But, like I said in my previous post, I've decided it's time I see something beyond concrete. And this is WAY beyond concrete but I think I can handle it.
LET THE TRAVEL ADVENTURE BEGIN!

besos (kisses)
Alden

coffee, conversation, and city

Hola from Buenos Aires!
 I've been here for 3 weeks and 4 days and have decided it is time to begin blogging about my new life and the adventures that ensue. I was resisting the idea of a blog for my time here because between my journal, twitter, facebook, and skype, I felt that I would be spending more time relaying my memories than making them. While my journal is for my reflection, this blog will be for others to hear about my life here because it is very different than anything I've done before. Better to begin late than not at all!

Cafe Culture
I love the cafe culture here! It is more than normal to meet up with a friend, or sit by yourself, at a cafe for a quick cup of coffee. But that's the catch. It's not a quick cup of coffee. You can sit for hours even if you get only one cup. The waitress won't bother you or even check on you. If you want the cuenta (check), you'll have to ask for it. Today, I sat outside with my friend Jackie at a cafe for almost 4 hours. We chatted, enjoyed the sunshine, did homework, and even gained some wisdom from our sugar packets. 

Some people drown in a glass of water and other drink the water and sell the glass. 

There are many worlds and we are in this one. 

The snail walks slowly but he's got his own house. 

It's so pleasant to be able to enjoy your time alone or with your friend and not feel any kind of rush at all. My time here is just like the cafe culture- free of rush and full of the simple enjoyment. For one of the first times in my life, I don't have a job or obligation. I do have classes and homework but that is such a small fraction of what I can do with my time. Just as the porteños (name for people from Buenos Aires) sit in the cafe and take the time to enjoy their coffee, conversation, and city, I plan to enjoy my time here by taking it all in, simplicity included. I admire the ability to take the time to relax in the middle of such a bustling city.

The Same But Different
It has only been three weeks but I can already feel myself changing. Not a monumental change but the little things that make up a person. I'm learning lessons here that aren't simply about South America or cultural differences but rather small details about myself. For example, I've spent my entire life in a city. I went from D.C. to New Orleans to Buenos Aires. While that is the same about me, and may appear that I'm sticking to what I know, Buenos Aires is a world different than NOLA or D.C. I'm living on my own for the first time in my life. I can't cook but I'm learning little by little due to necessity. There is no jet lag here as it is only one hour ahead of eastern time but there is a different schedule that has adjusted my internal clock. For instance, dinner is at 10 p.m. most nights and no one goes to boliches (clubs) until 3 a.m. and they don't leave until around 7 a.m. Most people only get 5 hours of sleep, with maybe a short siesta (nap/rest) during the day. Thanks to maté (herbal, strongly caffeinated, bitter tea), which is consumed on an almost hourly basis, no one is even tired the next day. Breakfast is not the most important meal of the day here either. Breakfast hardly exists. Though the delicious asado (grilled steak) from the night before will probably keep you full until lunch. These are the little things that make me realize the customs I'm used to. Without the reference point of experiencing other customs, I wouldn't even know my own.
I have a lot of free time to think, whether in my room, walking mi barrio (my neighborhood), or riding the colectivo/bondi (bus) to school. Before coming here, I never gave myself enough time for myself, to just think things through. Studying abroad is about self-discovery. Some things I have learned come from the other students in my program. The students from Tennessee, California, and Florida see this city much differently than I do because just the city-living is a huge change for them, not just the South American aspect.