12 Months Later

What a difference a year makes.

I am so thankful for the beautiful birthday I celebrated.
And I love my jasmine tree ! And orchid. And cactus.

Mañana...

Will be 1 year since I moved to Crazytown, aka Buenos Aires. Insane in the membrane, insane in the brain. Wowski.

It's been quite an amazing year, despite the ups and downs in the middle. Despite my Third World Existence, I wouldn't want to live anywhere else.

Cartier's 100 Years in America

I pine for this piece

This is the ECG Machine They Used

Woo Modern Medicine

Noticias & Novedades

Ok soooo let's see, where to begin ? Things have been going well as Spring has come into full force in Buenos Aires. Warmer days and nice sunshine has made my life a whole lot better.

Today we all spent 3 hours getting "pre-ocupacionales" - medical tests that you're required to do before starting a new job. Ok, so I started working almost a year ago but we finally got around to doing it. Basically, you are required by law in Argentina to get a full medical exam, chest x-ray, blood and urine tests, and ECG before being hired by the new company. These tests are done by a random doctor and the results are given directly to your employer before you even get to see them (if you get to see them at all). That means your employer will know if you have tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, are pregnant, even cancer, before you do. Pretty weird. Not something that went over well in the office but we figured if we have to do it, we have to do it.

Our "breakfast" after giving blood was an alfajor and a hot chocolate. Nothing like an insane sugar rush to take the edge off. The ECG was done with this antiquated weird machine thing that was like little suction cups and clothespin-type things that they put all over my chest, abdomen, wrists and ankles. Apparently I passed with flying colors but I still wanted to know why they haven't been able to update the technology just a little bit here in the big bad Buenos Aires. I mean, the 1950s are over, yes ?

I finally figured out how tall I am in meters !!!! 1.73 thank you very much. Now I don't have to look around like a hopeless mess when people here ask me "Cuánto medís?" Phew. Crisis averted.

Afterward we had a delicious lunch of CBC - California Burrito Company - basically a fake wannabe Chipotle founded in BA by some American ex-pats. I'll say that it was enough to satisfy my craving but NOTHING will ever compare to Chipotle's guacamole and cilantro&lime rice. It's sad that the only things I really miss about America (besides Bella) are food. Dean & Deluca, Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, cheap Indian buffets, affordable sushi .... Le sigh.

My BIRTHDAY is in 1 week. This is only monumental because this means that I have officially been living in Buenos Aires as a "grown up" for 1 year. Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaa. Woooooo. WEIRD. But fun ! Hooray !

If anyone would like to send presents, tokens of love/affection, pesos, dollars, or Indian food, let me know and I will send you my address.

I think that's really it. I am fully obsessed with buying mini-bouquets of freesia and dreaming of jasmine. My little plants from last spring are looking like they might be revived, which is awesome. I just need some cacti to complete my horticultural family.

And the countdown to Christmas in Punta del Este starts ..... NOW.

WebMD - Real Medical Advice

Apparently Swine Flu is back in action in the US. I loved this little tip from the best medical website on earth about things you should do BEFORE you get infected and die.

4. Stock up on comfort foods. Check the fridge, pantry, and stack of order-in menus. Stock up on those special foods that comfort you when you're not feeling well -- tea, chicken noodle soup, crackers -- whatever works for you. The last thing you're going to feel like doing when you get swine flu is grocery shopping.

A Few Things ...

1. TGIF.

2. Feliz Día de la Secretaria ! Please, if you are cool enough to have a secretary, buy her some flowers, a bouquet of freshly sharpened pencils, or perhaps even an "agenda electrónica" (that last one was a gift idea from a very official Día de la Secretaria website)

3. The Government of the City of Buenos Aires has finally realized that there should be some kind of control put on the use of plastic bags at the supermarkets !! Praise the Lord. Rather than put 10 items in 9 plastic bags (also doubling up those bags on very heavy items like ... lettuce), during the next four years, shoppers and supermarkets alike will have to start using eco-friendly, reusable bags. This is clearly a fabulous idea, and perhaps will also revolutionize the small-trashcan industry in Argentina. Instead of having a nice, big, gigantic trash can in the kitchen (one that comes up to your thigh, for example), Argentines have these tiny little "tachos" that can't even hold a pizza box. Kind of ridiculous. Especially when you have to crouch over to shove all your food scraps and trash in. Although you do save money on trash bags because you just use your old grocery bags. Hmm...... this might be the start of a real "creeeesis" for the Argies.

4. I finished "New Moon" in 2 days and I am fully in love with a vampire. Get me "Eclipse" NOW SOMEBODY PLEASE !!!!!!!!!!

5. October is proving to be the month of concerts in BA. Depeche Mode, Pet Shop Boys, the Prodigy, Faith No More .... definitely looking forward to summer and good music.

That is all. My life is boring and I have nothing exciting to say. I could list all of the new words I have learned in Italian but that wouldn't be that fun for you. Last night we had an amazingly delicious and spicy Bengal dinner. OH WAIT now I remember. On the way to dinner last night (ok on the 2 block walk), as we passed in front of the Palacio San Martín, there were like 10 armed cars, guards with machine guns, Secret Service police people with dogs and sirens and even an ambulance. We figured that it must be Kirchner, who basically sucks, but I wanted to get a glimpse anyway. Then I saw a beautiful dog in the park across the street and squealed in delight. The guard with the machine gun didn't seem to happy about that outburst of emotion.


Then on the way back, I met the most kind and gentle GIANT Doberman named Delfi. We played in the driveway of the apartment until I felt that I was being rude/scaring away the owners because I actually tried to get the dog to follow me into the building. But she was sooooo sweet !! And GIGANTIC and she jumped up on her owner with this big floppy tongue and I basically melted with love. I ignored the Boxer that was with them because I am still scarred by my facial attack by Scamp the asshole boxer that bit me last year. Hmpg.