I'm sitting in my incredibly steamy, humid, cozy room in my new home of the next 3.5 months, and it finally has hit me that I'm going to be spending a semester studying abroad here in Buenos Aires. Until now, I was distracted by my total uselessness and lack of productivity at home for 7 weeks and then my travels in Chile and Patagonia with my familia.
So here I am, a new temporary member of Belgrano's Kiesel family, whose mother is younger than I am. Shmuel and Chaya- classic Chabad names. Anyways, they seem really nice and have been very hospitable to me.
A couple of issues I have so far:
1. Inability to think of anything to say to their 2 and 4 year old daughters. If anybody knows how to communicate with really little girls in spanish, please let me know
2. I'm still trying to get comfortable living in a stranger's house, but I don't want to feel too comfortable so quickly (just seems unnatural in the beginning). So during lunch today, I fought the urge to serve myself a second helping of spaghetti and meatballs b/c I didn't want my "parents" to think that I was a gluttonous American. However, in the end, it worked out b/c I had the leftovers for dinner.
Other observations from my first day:
1. It's really hard to catch a cab in this city- they are either full, or the drivers simply ignore your waving hand.
2. Younger guys love the 80's mullet look
In the morning today, I went food shopping with Chaya, and she showed me the different foods that were kosher in the regular supermarket: the list includes 1 brand of ketchup, 3 types of cereals, olive oil and nothing else.
Wow, we are truly spoiled in NY.
In the afternoon, I explored the Belgrano area, trying to familiarize myself with my home for the next semester. It seems like a beautiful area, more low key.
Belgrano aside, Buenos Aires is definitely my kind of city: there are homemade ice cream shops nearly every 2-3 blocks.
Today's flavors: Chocolate with bits of Brazilian nut, coffee, and some berry cream flavor.
That's all from here,
buenas noches
ps- I hope all of you who hated my facebook blog appreciate this
Ariel
