It is cloudy and cold wintery day here in Buenos Aires. Imagine thanksgiving weekend weather…

It has been a beautiful week. Yesterday was my official last day of classes here in Argentina! Which honestly was just happy. It feels like I’ve been going to class forever (aka the longest semester of my life!), but maybe it’s because there weren’t any ‘vacations’ and because I did not miss one single class the entire semester (can you tell I’m way proud of that)… I am completely done with one of my three classes (we had our final exam on Tuesday and I turned in my final paper yesterday). Now I have one week off until my other two exams and then a week to relax before getting on a plane.

So strange to think that my time here is slowly coming to an end. My time here has gone by a lot faster than, say, Nigeria. And I’m trying to figure out why. The possibilities are endless really. Maybe I was better prepared. Maybe I have all the creature comforts here. Maybe living with a family has made the difference. Maybe it’s the good internet connection. Maybe I’ll never know. But in the same way, I don’t really feel like I’m living in a foreign country. It has become normal. I sleep in, I study, I drink lots of coffee and tea, and I’m a homebody. I’m still me, even though I’m here. And that makes me glad. And while sure enough, I’ve changed a little I’ve only become a little bit more like me. A little bit more like the person I’m becoming.

Right now I’m sitting at ‘my’ café on the corner of Villate and Maipu. It’s about a 15 minute walk from my house and it’s on my way to and from class. Every day I sit at the same seat, and sip my coffee and watch the world drive by. Some turn right, or left, or go straight, and some run the reds. Some days the café is bustling with activity and people, other days it’s just me and the baristas at times. Yesterday the Argentine SWAT team was here taking a break from protecting the president’s house. Today I was the innocent bystander who got hit by a packet of sugar aimed from one server to another. I laughed, although I think they were very embarrassed… There are some other regulars. One man, easily in his late 80s who comes in all bundled up, faded red scarf, plaid hat, corduroy pants and loafers. He has a coffee and read Clarin (the news paper) and often dozes off. Sometimes acquaintances come in and he tells them to sit down and they talk for a while. This café has a great vibe of being a place to run into people. It’s nothing fancy. In fact, it’s just the opposite. It reminds me of a really strange Chinese restaurant: fish tank, old posters of food, curtain rods with no curtains, tile floors, milky green walls, Coca-Cola window shades and a plasma for the soccer games of course. There’s something about it that while seemingly ordinary, is unbelievably special. And I guess I just think that life is kind of like that. Some things seem ordinary and plain, but when you take a closer look you realize that those small moments make all the difference, they make the everyday worth living.

For example

The aforementioned man is now playing hide and seek with a little boy (the son of one of the owners of the café). Precious.

Side note: I need your help! There’s an AU study abroad photo contest that I’m thinking about entering… But I am horrible and picking, so I would love to hear what your favorites are from Argentina! http://picasaweb.google.com/samantha.boss

Have a great weekend! For fun: This video is amazing props to NYU talent, one take-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PglfNDepTyQ

“See how the lilies of the field grow… if that is how god clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you?”

There will always be a special place in my heart for you Lily. I remember the day your mom told me she was pregnant. I was the third person on the planet to know you were coming (first your mom, then dad, then me). I went jumping around my dorm in Nigeria. And now here we are, exactly nine months later, ready to finally meet.

There is something beautiful about babies that I never used to understand. And now that I’m older, I think I get it. A baby is everything untainted. It is innocent in all forms, dependent, it is humanity’s best shot at newness. Babies are sunrises. A beautiful sense of freshness. They are the day, before all of the mistakes. They are life, lived simply. And you Lily? You are about to be the first morning light that touches our faces.

By ‘our’ I am implying the family that you’ve been gifted. You’ll like us. And we’ll like you. (I mean there are a few whackos, but don’t worry, hopefully you’re genes will be alright). Everyone is so excited that you’re here. Especially Ben. I call him my boo. He’s your brother. And then of course there’s Nina and Papa, your grandparents. And then there’s Grami, your great grandmother. She’s really happy about you. I think when you get older (grams in her 80s now) there’s no greater joy than watching your family continue to grow. So just as Grami held your mommy, she’ll hold you. And no doubt, there will be tears. Then maybe, if you’re lucky, she’ll give you five dollars and a coke and double stuff Oreos. I mean, only if you make a good first impression.

It guts me that I won’t be there to see you right away. I’ll be by your side in 25 days. And we can play and cuddle and make funny faces all day long. I promise.

Okay, love. I just wanted to say hi. I just wanted to greet that soft morning light that made me open my eyes and faintly smile. Good morning Lily. I love you.

And I can’t wait to watch you grow….

happiness is:

free hugs








an old man with a sign saying 'free hugs'









a little old lady in a yellow shirt
with a horrified look on her face...

1. monedas and mcdonalds- the epic battle
   
   
   let me begin by telling you a little story.
   
   main character= me
   timing=second day in Buenos Aires
   setting=the corner of juramento and cabildo (imagine times square)
   conflict=monedas (coins)
   
   to ride the bus here you need coins. alright, not too complicated. or so you would think. but as it turns out there is a shortage. as in, the city of buenos aires does not have enough coins to meet the high demand of coins. so in a classic example of elementary economics, the people hoard their coins and only worsen the situation (note the stock market in the past year). So on my second day here I had no idea and after class I went to the nearest store by the bus stop and asked for change. of course they said they didn't have any. Thirteen shops later, I knew something was up. Finally a cute old man had pity on the poor foreigner.
   
   although this was a dramatic experience for me (visions of being stranded in Belgrano for the night), the battle is epic. the best way to beat the system is going to the bank, however like all banks, they have strange and inconvenient hours here so sometimes that's just not an option (and even so they'll only give you 5 pesos worth of coins at a time).
   
2. be prepared for a shocking statement.... mcdonald's here is actually not gross! when my friend came to visit, she really wanted to go. I really wanted some breakfast (not common here to eat out for breakfast or have a 'big breakfast') but leave it to mcdonalds to bring the breakfast sandwich to the world. i was impressed, not as greasy and tasteless as in the US. the 'mccafe' is popular here. as in business people will meet there. shocking. i had a chocolate chip muffin, apple, coffee (straight up), and a egg mcmuffin sandwich. MCNIFICA! oh globalization and capitalism... so appetizing
   
   

my favorite flowers are yellow.

on friday, I went to volunteer at the ludotecas (visit www.potencialidadesweb.com.ar) just like any normal friday afternoon.

but the kids were exceptionally rowdy: wrestling, jumping, wanting endless piggyback rides (I mean the usual). when I left I was feeling particularly drained. after the commute back to olivos, I stuck my hand in my coat pocket to grab my keys when I felt something kind of gushy, something foreign that should not be in the pocket of my clean winter coat....

I found a bouquet of dandelions.

those little cuties left me a surprise
and it made me remember that it's not in vain.

tango in the streets... oh buenos aires