Well apparently people read this- who knew? :)

I can't believe we're already through our first week of class and settling into life here. Part of me feels like I've been here forever (yes, I can finally navigate the complex web that is the colectivo system here) and part of me feelings like I barely left WashU. For those of you that aren't familiar with the Buenos Aires bus system, there is a 40 page thick intricate map of buses, their routes and how much they cost. The tricky thing is, stops are not marked on this map, so actually finding where bus 134 stops within the 10 block square quadrant you're currently standing in can be a bit tricky, to say the least. Also, if you're not standing at said stop, waving your hand frantically (and even sometimes when you are) there is no guarantee that the bus driver will stop for you. Same goes for when you're trying to get off. You've really got to assert yourself -- something I'm not great at. However now that I've figured out how this system works, I can really get anywhere. So much more effective than any public transportation system in Miami. Ick.

So this weekend was filled with exploring. On Friday night my family had another family celebration of my host "sister" Flo's birthday. This was suppose to be her friends party, as the big family dinner was last week, however aunts, uncles, grandparents, ect all came over to be with her as well. The concept of family here is so interesting. I was trying to picture, most of the time, how a 23-year old would react to large amounts of family showing up to her birthday party with her friends. It was no big deal at all here. Family stayed, and the girls all went out dancing when the fiesta was over.. at 3am. Crazy.

(Below: my host mother, on the left, her sister Flo, in the middle and their mother on the left).


Saturday, I explored through Palermo, one of the nicer areas in the city and finally found some food that wasn't meat or bread: Armenian! It's amazing how fast one misses vegetables and soy milk. Never thought that would happen. Sunday, I met up with a group of 15 WashU freshman that were here in Buenos Aires with Dean Duvall and Prof. Brown for a focus seminar. We met up at a country club outside of the city and had a long, lazy lunch at this estate in the sun. The man's house we were at makes some of the best wine in Argentina, and obviously- had studied at WashU's business school for a year. If that wasn't a cool enough connection to make, the guy they had pick me up (Gustavo) studied at WashU Law for a year while getting his JD. He is now a lawyer in Buenos Aires with a big family, and teaches Constitutional Law at UBA (the University of Buenos Aires, one of the most reputed institutes in the country). From what I understand, although teachers there make close to nothing since it's public and paid for by the government, it's a huge prestige thing to teach at UBA. Anyways, he invited me to sit in on his class in the coming weeks and I am super excited. What a small world! If that wasn't enough for one day, that night about 15 of us saw Manu Chao at a sold out show at Luna Park. When we finally left, at 1am, he had been playing for four straight hours and was on his 7th encore. Amazing.



Anyways, more later. I'm sick and missing classes for the first day. Obviously, then, as the WashU student that I am, I feel the need to at least catch up on some reading. Ciao.