Primera Semana

Dude what a fucking trip! Today (January 28) is my fourth day in Buenos Aires, and it's been SOOOOO overwhelming, wonderful, scary, etc. etc. etc.

I flew out Wednesay night and was travelling for 22 straight hours! It was kind of terrible. The only good thing is that, I've pretty much turned 21 already (even though my birthday's in June) because I can drink everywhere. First thing I did when I got off in El Salvador for a layover: smoked a ciggie, drank a scotch on the rocks, and read the New Yorker (in case you didn't realize: I've turned into a 50 year old New Yorker overnight). I got into Buenos Aires at 6 AM and ended up crashing at a hostel my first night. I was intially planning on staying there longer, but I'm glad I didn't. It was kind of nasty and the toilet didn't work (when I tried to flush it shot water onto the wall!)

The next day I caught a cab to the apartment I'm renting for the month before my study abroad program starts, and the cab driver was unbelievable! He was this bald guy who was telling me about how he's a manager for a rock band in Buenos Aires. Their name is Engranaje, which is Spanish for "Gear" and when I asked him why, his answer: "Because our band, the rhythm is the gear that makes the machine we call life run." hahah check out the website: http://www.engranajerock.com.ar/

When I showed up at my apartment, it was a nice studio apartment in an area of the city called San Telmo, which is the historic district. I like it because it's really beautiful and colonial, with winding cobblestone streeets, buildings with ornate old designs, bay windows, balconies, etc., but it's also kind of gritty and dirty and feels like a combination of Brooklyn and Italy. What's kind of funny with this area is that it's a little ghetto, but it's also a little gay, and when I realized that, I had no clue if the men who intensely stared me down as I walked past them wanted to take my wallet or my virginity (haha kidding!).

I met my landlord, a funny, slightly obnoxious woman named Susana, who took my rent money and security deposit, made me sign a lease, and then led me through the apartment. It's really tiny, and I really like it. My bathroom has a bidet (is that how it's spelled?), which kind of sketched me out at first, but I really like it now. Cleans that shit right up!

After she left, I unpacked, took a shower, went outside, and got lost in a matter of minutes. When I found where I was, I walked to the Plaza de Mayo (the center of town, a really beautiful plaza), where I had a cafecito, and mistakenly ordered something nasty to eat. I then walked to the shopping district, which I wasn't into because it reminded me of how fucking irritating 7th Ave. in Manhattan can be. Then I took a subte (subway) train to Palermo.

The subway is so easy. There are only five lines, and each ride costs 30 cents!!! Did I mention how cheap things are here? Pack of cigarettes=$1.50!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So, Palermo. It's a really trendy, chic area with lots of boutiques, galleries, cafes, and the most beautiful people I've ever seen in my life. No joke, I'd say half the men and women in this city are models, and the other half are kind of greasy, with rat-tails and sweaty bangs. I ended up walking all the way down the main street in Palermo (Avenida Santa Fe), which is about two miles long and I had such bad blisters when I got home. I was still really jet lagged so I passed out at 8 PM, like a loser.