In My Element (Literally)

When I first got to Buenos Aires, I was afraid I had made a horrible mistake. I was in an over whelming city, traveling alone for the first time. On my second day here a man started following me and asking for my number. I was extremely close to breaking down in the middle of the street.

Now though, I couldn't be more sure that I made the right choice. I love the people I volunteer with. I love learning Spanish again. And I love Buenos Aires. Now that I have mastered my commute to school and to the LIFE office, I can really appreciate my life in the city. It has done nothing but reassure me that I need to follow my dream of living and working in a big city when I graduate. I am able to explore the streets on my way to school, and admire beautiful old buildings on my bus ride to the LIFE office. It rain a lot this weekend and I loved it. I finally get to experience "winter", since no such thing exists in at Santa Clara. I love walking the streets in the rain and then entering a warm building to let the heat warm me up. As the title says I am in my element here, and I am loving every minute of my time here.

La Malba

Since I have been battling a cold, I took it easy on Saturday. The forecast said it would rain most of the day which called for an indoor adventure, so I chose La Malba (Museo de Art Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires). La Malba has been my favorite attraction in the city so far. Along wit the permanent exhibit featuring many political paintings and some abstract art, they had also just opened up an exhibit that featured art that used lights. Below are a few of my favorite pieces of art. 

 Moving Metal Ovals that Reflected Light

 Woven Lights

 A Bench on Each Floor Met in the Lobby and Intwined

When I left the museum is was pouring. I made it half way to the bus stop before deciding to take a break in a coffee shop. This leads me to a confession. It goes against everything my dad has taught me about the evils of coffee, but despite hating coffee my entire life and resisting drinking it, I have started to really like cappuccinos. So, I ordered a cappuccino and a media luna and sat in the cafe watching the rain, texting friends and attempting to read a children's book in spanish. I spent the rest of my afternoon and evening at home preparing for the crazy day that was ahead.

El Mundial

(The World Cup)

Starting at about 1:00 (thats three hours before the game), people starting fileing into bars and restaurants to watch the world cup final. Some places were by reservation only, and others had a minimum that you must spend. We were extremely lucky to walk by a bar as it was opening, so we got front row seats to a big screen. By the time the game started the bar was packed full. To reach the minimum fee for this bar you had to order two drinks. Since I don't like beer, I watched the game with some delicious and strong white wine. 

It was rather depressing for the first thirty minutes after the game, but soon people started to celebrate to support the accomplishments of the Messi and the team. People began flocking towards the Obelisk  and walking up Corrientes. People leaned out of cars and randomly broke into song. The street was loud until at least 1am when I went to sleep. On my walk back home, I passed a German bar. The police were there ready to stop any fights that might break out. Though new stations in other countries focused on the burning cars and angry Argentines, that is not what I experienced at all. Although they were disappointed, Argentina still wanted to support their team and celebrate all that they accomplished this year. 

Corrientes After the Game

This week I have been in class in the morning and volunteering in the afternoons, so I have been extremely busy. Tomorrow I'm going to a tango show and this weekend I am going to La Boca and the San Telmo Crafts Market. My next post will have pictures and stories from volunteering.