Hello all…today was a very good day indeed. Had Spanish class, as usual and we got to have a good hours’ worth of conversation, but got to mix in an hour of grammar as well…yay for learning the subjunctive even more! =)
After class, we went to Freddo. We were so excited because Monday is supposed to be “Buy one get one free” day…but alas, you have to be a member of Freddo and what not…and I don’t know if I am going to try and be a member or not. I only have three (?) more Mondays left here…don’t know if it’s worth it. Oh well. I don’t know if I have mentioned it, but they have a HUGE $51 peso bowl that they will fit all the flavors into…I wanna try it. So far I got Adam, Derek, and Bridget in with me. We can split it and have all that wonderful ice cream! I am pretty excited, lol.
After Freddo, Thomas and I went back to my apartment to work on homework. I know I’ve mentioned it before, but we have quite a HUGE reading to do for Politics class. I have almost all of it done (just about a page left now!) but it’s a lot of work. And still confusing after I’ve translated it and get it in English…it still doesn’t make sense! =) I have taken notes though and have thought of some questions, so even though I don’t get it, the profe can at least know that I’ve read it, and that is good enough for me.
Tonight’s dinner my host mom made for me…was delicious. She made chicken (which…was chicken, and wasn’t the exciting part) and this spinach, potato, egg mixture that was just WONDERFUL. I know, I know…it was very green and that usually means I won’t like it, but I’ll try anything once (as long as it doesn’t smell too funny) and I tried it and just…oh, fell in love. I didn’t have a chance to talk with Elsa about it, but I am going to ask her tomorrow what it was that she did to make it so wonderful. If it’s as easy as just mixing the three things together, then yay! I can make it when I get home. I am definitely enjoying all the mixtures with eggs. So far it’s been: rice and eggs, pasta (plain) and eggs, peas and eggs, and what I had tonight. I really am starting to think that mixing in scrambled eggs just makes things better…I don’t know. But I like it!
After I ate and Thomas and I worked on more homework, we headed out to meet a guy and girl Thomas had met online. I know, I know…it’s weird to meet people in person who you’ve met online. But this was strictly a, “Hey, I speak English and I’m in Buenos Aires, any friends here?” sort of thing. The guy is actually half Argentine half British. He’s lived here for a little over a year, but has traveled back and forth between Argentina and England his whole life. The girl is from London. They were fun, and after a bit of walking around trying to find an open bar/restaurant to sit around and talk in, we finally found one a bit farther from our starting destination. It was really fun to get to talk to these two about stereotypes of Americans and the English. At one point, Thomas did a high five, and they told us how American that was and how they usually only do it in English as irony (or sarcasm?). Then, we started talking about country music and what not…I mean, music (classic American rock) was playing in the bar and they asked if it was country. Thomas and I (who are not country fans) had to explain to them that it was not, in fact, country. Then we had to describe what we thought country was and how, even that genre has different types within it. One can find really poppy country or really twangy country. Typical, whiny “I lost my women, she took my dog and my truck” country… you know, all sorts of kinds. From there, we went on to talk about the stereotypes of the south and if there is a difference between “southern gentlemen and ladies” and “hicks” and what not. It was really interesting seeing their viewpoints and what not. What probably surprised me the most is when I put on my southern, country accent it, they loved it. They said it was their favorite American accent which I find so strange! It wasn’t all, soft Scarlett O’Hara southern, it’s the real twangy almost hick sounding southern (to those of you who know the difference or have heard my southern accent). Thomas noted that it was more genuine from my “soft” southern…but to hear them say it was their favorite was just so odd to me. I annoy my friends at home by using that accent, but I think they would have been okay if I would have talked like that the rest of the night. Over all, it was a great night and we have found two more people that we can stay in contact with while here, making new friends who aren’t from the States and thus broadening our horizons of the world beyond us….which I love! It made me really wish that I would have become an Intercultural Communications major…but OBU doesn’t have that as an option, although maybe they should. I love talking with people from other places and love just realizing the differences between the US and other countries. Too many people in our country are SO ethnocentric, thinking the US is the best and other countries don’t even compare…and maybe that’s true for those who think it, but it’s so important to realize that others love their countries too and find that Argentina or London or Italy or wherever are the best countries to live in. Maybe it’s all a matter of opinion…
Today in class, we learned an expression: “En el cuestión de gustas, hay nada escrito.” (In the question of “likes”/opinions, there is nothing written.) There are no rules for liking things…people just do. So if I like the US better than I like Argentina, fine…but I need to open my mind and realize that there are people who like Argentina better than the US. It’s all a matter of opinion and I think that there are too many people in the US who don’t realize that…especially when it comes to “which country is better”. I enjoyed my time learning about another culture (apart from this new culture I am getting to be a part of every day while I am here) and if anything, I have been able to open my mind to even more cultures and people!
It is very late…and I am very tired. But sometime, I need to talk about the vendors here in BA…not today, but some day when I have little to say…I am just writing it now so I won’t forget! =)
More later from BA, thanks again for reading! Love you and miss you!
I think it's funny that, "En el cuestion de gustas, hay nada escrito," was said in reference to bats.
ReplyDelete