Las cosas pequenas

Allo everybody, long time no see - I hope everyone is passing well, judging by the crisp sunshine and pleasant crowds I'm seeing on the course in Augusta, Georgia it seems that spring has more or less sprung in the northland. El tiempo aca is finally reaching a state that I would determine as comfortably bearable (I don't know if I told you guys but the first two months here were absurdly hot. Una mixto de city building heat trapping, overcrowded public transit systems and 22 years of cold weather breeding really make my personal experience in the summer here quite a sweaty endeavor) But yea, the weather is wonderful now, cool breezes during the day and sunsets coupled with something I'm truly excited to say, the need for a sweatshirt. I've been waiting for the day when the blanket I keep crumpled in the corner of my room would finally be called up for use, and this past week I must say it has performed it's duty well.

First a few notes on some very subtle, but powerful interactions I've had of late. Yesterday, or maybe friday, (I'm working for the weekend for the first time in my life, so, as I'm sure many of you have discovered, these precious few days of late awakenings and day time movie watching tend to go by way too fast) But yes, last friday I believe I was cruising through my neighborhood a lookin for a new dining experience, Palermo, the neighborhood where I live is renowned for it's eclectic collection de comida. After passing up Pizza Kentucky I saw that delightful rotating sight, a chunk of lamb speared through the middle sizzling with an onion and dripping it's savory juices. The sanwich de shwarma I had form there was only 12 pesos, but tasted like a million pesos. Or roughly 125,000 USD I think. As I was snacking away on my flavorful middle eastern treat I walked through a row of cars waiting at a red light. One truck's window rolled down and a guy called over to me, usually at this point I just assume I'm not going to understand what he's saying and prepare myself for an awkward, and poorly explained interaction/exit. But alas, 3 months in a spanish speaking country and I was able to understand this phrase "where is plaza Serrano" and even more amazing I was able to devise this enticing little response in the socially alloted time "Four blocks that way." Wow, I know, that's like Steinbeck level stuff, but that really did happen.

The second passing that really got me pumped happened today in the disco, it's a grocery store chain, though I do enjoy a nice Sunday afternoon rave every couple of weeks. I was waiting in the atrociously long line (The disco's here have an impressive number of registers but are always, always lacking in the humans running these registers) I was in line and a nice old lady was making the tough decision between bag of rice cakes A and bag of rice cakes B. Apparently she had only one qualifier, Sodium level. She was clearly having trouble reading the small print on the back of the bag and come over to ask me to read it. Fortunately I know the word for zero in Spanish and I was able to help her out.

Also last night I went to a sweet house party of a friend of a friend. Met some sweet peeps and most importantly was able to speak some solid spanish with people who were cool. I was talking with a Mexican girl for a while and we bonded over our shared impressions of the Argentine world. It's these little things that are what I believe make the difference between visiting an area and living in one. I did buy some pretty awesomely gaudy sunglasses which I think help in making me look like more of a local, but after these two people approached me, in spanish, to help them, and then I was actually able to do it, I really feel like I am fitting in here. I got a long, long long way to go, but it's nice to have these checkups letting me know I'm at least going somewhat in the right direction.

I started my job this week too. If anyone is transporting their car somewhere in the US, AutoStar transport are the people to contact, just ask for Thomas. I made my first sale on Tuesday and I had a girl from Texas ask if she could friend me on facebook, or if she could text the toll free number I was calling her from, the job makes for a pretty fun time. More to follow on my job later.

BAFICI - Buenos Aires Festival Internacional de Cine Independiente is currently going on in the city this week. 8 locations playing awesome independent films from all around the world all day. Tonight I'm going to see a sweedish film about a woman working in a hardware store that gets kidnapped or something?, but what I'm looking forward to most is the zombie flick that's coming up on thursday from South Korea, looks awesome.

I'll be back later this week to fill you guys in on some other interesting things that are going on here, but all in all it's good here and I hope the same for all of your respective locales. Good, great. Nice talking with you guys, I hate to be rude but I must step out. I'm getting eaten alive by mosquitos and need to take a quick dip in the bug lotion pit. Have a good night.

Chau

Oh and Las Cosas Pequenas means, if you didn't put it together already - the little things.