Wednesday, October 29, 2008
happpy halloween
Oct 29th
So today was a hard day. we had our Halloween party which was pure chaos…as the hundred or so kids were doing stations. Our station was cookie decorating. Boy, was that a sight. They globed on dulce de leche, frosting, chocolate like you never seen it before. One table even asked for more dulce de leche (we had them in separate cups) and I came back two minutes later it was gone. They had eaten half a cup with their little spoons. Sick. I think everyone liked it, but after a couple hours of guarding the cookies, frosting, candy and such I was zonked. It takes a lot of energy to say NO, you cant have one cookie, no you cant have two cookies…and the list goes on. Also these kids (or all kids) are sneaky so when you aren’t looking they will dip their hand in the bowl or nab a cookie. I need eyes everywhere…but if I had them I would have gone crazy. Got back to flacso and mailed some letters. The lady congratulated me on writing my return address correctly. ha. I left thinking what must other people have written? Walked to my language class and met up with a flacso girl on the way. She tapped me on the back and I turned around quickly ready to smack someone…and it was only her. Had a nice chat but we both arrived dripping in sweat…the weather is getting warmer. Uneventful language class. rode the bus home…lacking monedas so I am getting a bit worried about where I will get them to take the bus. I find it ridiculous that you have to buy things to get mondeas… to take the bus. Not a good system. Got home and decided not to go to the Halloween party tonight. I am just zonked and stressed about my midterm next week and my paper and everything I need to do. Bah! But this weekend we will be going to the campo (farm) to enjoy lots of good food and horse back riding and a pool. Bueno.
So today was a hard day. we had our Halloween party which was pure chaos…as the hundred or so kids were doing stations. Our station was cookie decorating. Boy, was that a sight. They globed on dulce de leche, frosting, chocolate like you never seen it before. One table even asked for more dulce de leche (we had them in separate cups) and I came back two minutes later it was gone. They had eaten half a cup with their little spoons. Sick. I think everyone liked it, but after a couple hours of guarding the cookies, frosting, candy and such I was zonked. It takes a lot of energy to say NO, you cant have one cookie, no you cant have two cookies…and the list goes on. Also these kids (or all kids) are sneaky so when you aren’t looking they will dip their hand in the bowl or nab a cookie. I need eyes everywhere…but if I had them I would have gone crazy. Got back to flacso and mailed some letters. The lady congratulated me on writing my return address correctly. ha. I left thinking what must other people have written? Walked to my language class and met up with a flacso girl on the way. She tapped me on the back and I turned around quickly ready to smack someone…and it was only her. Had a nice chat but we both arrived dripping in sweat…the weather is getting warmer. Uneventful language class. rode the bus home…lacking monedas so I am getting a bit worried about where I will get them to take the bus. I find it ridiculous that you have to buy things to get mondeas… to take the bus. Not a good system. Got home and decided not to go to the Halloween party tonight. I am just zonked and stressed about my midterm next week and my paper and everything I need to do. Bah! But this weekend we will be going to the campo (farm) to enjoy lots of good food and horse back riding and a pool. Bueno.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
ups and downs, cookies, and halloween
Oct 28th
Woke up early to buy the tickets with stefy for this weekend. We went and the place was closed, the sign with its hours was 9-5 and we were there at like 10.30. oh argentina. I then walked to flacso to meet my cooking class partner where we bought the ingredients for our cookies and frosting party tomorrow… our budget allows for 30 pesos a week…we spent about three times that. The kids should love it. Whisked myself off to my Spanish class, where I bragged about my flogger interview...not really just explained. then to my flacso class. Then to my cooking partners house (which happened to be the son of my host parents house as well). We made over a hundred sugar cookies for the kids to decorate tomorrow. Yikes. By the time I took the last colectivo of the day (lugging the powdered sugar and dulce de leche) I was pooped. Arrived home to a dinner of pasta…how can you only eat a plate of pasta for dinner? Did some homework and have to get up in about 7 hours for casa del Niño. Alas. Good night.
Oct 27th
Man, as the time gets closer I am loosing my blogging bug. Monday was my day of work, but I ended up eating more than working. I was feeling in a bit of a slump today. I feel like I have so much work, but don’t really know where to start. Especially with this flogger paper. Overall I did some work, but it ended up being a tough day. seems like here my I have many more ups and downs. Monday was a down.
Woke up early to buy the tickets with stefy for this weekend. We went and the place was closed, the sign with its hours was 9-5 and we were there at like 10.30. oh argentina. I then walked to flacso to meet my cooking class partner where we bought the ingredients for our cookies and frosting party tomorrow… our budget allows for 30 pesos a week…we spent about three times that. The kids should love it. Whisked myself off to my Spanish class, where I bragged about my flogger interview...not really just explained. then to my flacso class. Then to my cooking partners house (which happened to be the son of my host parents house as well). We made over a hundred sugar cookies for the kids to decorate tomorrow. Yikes. By the time I took the last colectivo of the day (lugging the powdered sugar and dulce de leche) I was pooped. Arrived home to a dinner of pasta…how can you only eat a plate of pasta for dinner? Did some homework and have to get up in about 7 hours for casa del Niño. Alas. Good night.
Oct 27th
Man, as the time gets closer I am loosing my blogging bug. Monday was my day of work, but I ended up eating more than working. I was feeling in a bit of a slump today. I feel like I have so much work, but don’t really know where to start. Especially with this flogger paper. Overall I did some work, but it ended up being a tough day. seems like here my I have many more ups and downs. Monday was a down.
Monday, October 27, 2008
two steaks a day
if anyone's interested a fun article:
http://www.idlewords.com/2006/04/argentina_on_two_steaks_a_day.htm
http://www.idlewords.com/2006/04/argentina_on_two_steaks_a_day.htm
Oct 26th
Went on a day trip with my host sister, her boyfriend, and her friend. We took the train to Olivos and spent the whole day (in argentine style) sitting on a blanket in this park next to the river, socializing and eating. We arrived and had a picnic of sandwiches and chips and soda. Then we moved to the shade and played a game and drank mate. All this prolonged in about 8 hours. We then headed home where I am writing this getting ready for the busy week as usual. We are throwing a Halloween party at the casa del nino! Boo!
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Oct 25th
Today was quite a day. I started out by waking my host sister up to go flogger hunting. She didn’t wake up for the longest time…and as always here I feel a bit awkward going in to her room and saying she has to get up to help me. But eventually she woke up and ate and we headed to the shopping center where they all reunite (on sundays). Luckily, we found some on Saturday. It was so…scary.. and embarrassing. Walking up to random kids and saying hi are you a flogger, can you do an interview? In Spanish. Ahhh! Stefy helped me a lot. Many times I think my pronunciation is just off…which makes me hard to understand…and alas hard to do interviews. But we got about 15 min of interviews. I tried to write them down when I arrived home but it gave me a headache due to the background noise. I will have to do a little at a time. I tried to do some productive things…but ended up not doing anything. I tried to read, and then ended up taking a nap. Then the guests arrived. . My host mom has her friends here from Uruguay. I didn’t realize it would be so much fun, but my host dad left and it was just the girls. I haven’t laughed so much in a long time. We had dinner, and then we had 3 desserts, 2 cakes and an ice cream log, as well as coffee and baileys. It was so fun…they are a wild group. I understood a lot, but not everything. It’s amazing how much you can catch by the intonations and tone and body language. I was disappointed about my interview performance, but this dinner made me realize why I am here…to speak/listen/be around Spanish in a no pressure fun environment.
Today was quite a day. I started out by waking my host sister up to go flogger hunting. She didn’t wake up for the longest time…and as always here I feel a bit awkward going in to her room and saying she has to get up to help me. But eventually she woke up and ate and we headed to the shopping center where they all reunite (on sundays). Luckily, we found some on Saturday. It was so…scary.. and embarrassing. Walking up to random kids and saying hi are you a flogger, can you do an interview? In Spanish. Ahhh! Stefy helped me a lot. Many times I think my pronunciation is just off…which makes me hard to understand…and alas hard to do interviews. But we got about 15 min of interviews. I tried to write them down when I arrived home but it gave me a headache due to the background noise. I will have to do a little at a time. I tried to do some productive things…but ended up not doing anything. I tried to read, and then ended up taking a nap. Then the guests arrived. . My host mom has her friends here from Uruguay. I didn’t realize it would be so much fun, but my host dad left and it was just the girls. I haven’t laughed so much in a long time. We had dinner, and then we had 3 desserts, 2 cakes and an ice cream log, as well as coffee and baileys. It was so fun…they are a wild group. I understood a lot, but not everything. It’s amazing how much you can catch by the intonations and tone and body language. I was disappointed about my interview performance, but this dinner made me realize why I am here…to speak/listen/be around Spanish in a no pressure fun environment.
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