This week started off interestingly enough. There was a massive protest in BsAs - the farmers were protesting a tax that was set to be voted on the next day in Congress. So Tuesday 250,000 people came to protest, chanting, drumming, and whistling. Our professors warned us that protests can be dangerous, especially for foreigners. I left my house early Tues. morning incase there was lots of traffic from the protest. When I got off the bus, I saw the protest heading directly towards me - needless to say, I was nervous. But then I saw a cafe across the street and thought 'I really want a medialuna y cafe (croissant and espresso)' I stood there for a moment looking back and forth between the protest and the cafe, deciding which was more important...I decided to go for the cafe! I ran across the street in front of the protest to get my medialuna. The protesters were nice to me - they smiled and waved. One of my friends here said "I can't believe you risked your life for a medialuna!" The sad thing is, it wasn't even a good medialuna - it was kind of stale.
Medialuna y cafe
Wednesday was my host dad's, Carmelo, birthday so we had a fiesta! Adriana cooked on the parilla, which is a huge Argentina grill. Parillas are common here because of the abundance and popularity of carne (red meat). We had choripan (sausage sandwiches), steak, cake, and of course vino tinto (red wine). After dinner, they started playing latin music and dancing - salsa, merengue, etc - even Adriana! I have decided to take salsa lessons in addition to the tango lessons.
An interesting cultural difference I've been observing is that going out, partying, and drinking are very much a part of Argentine culture. Our professors ask us everyday "Did you all go out to a boliche (club) last night? Which one? Did you like it?" and "Did you drink Argentine wine? Which one did you like?" And I go to a Catholic school! Going out all night and dancing is what you are SUPPOSED to do here. However, although Argentines like to drink and party, they generally don't get drunk - drinking to excess is considered bad manners here.
So last night, like a good Argentine girl, I went out to dinner with friends at 11 to celebrate el Dia de los Amigos (Friends' Day, which is a big deal here). We shared a bottle of Malbec wine and then went to a popular boliche called Bahrein. We ended up getting a table because we had enough people and it wasn't obscenely expensive. I was drinking champagne and dancing to the good techno music. When I got a cab to come home I was nervous because it was really late - or really early, however you look at it - and I was by myself. I became more nervous when the cab driver asked me where I was from. Some cab drivers here will take advantage of foreigners by driving in circles or even robbing them. I elected against saying that I'm from the States (which would indicate I have money to steal) and decided to say Sao Paulo, Brazil instead. Brazil is beautiful, but has many impoverished and corrupt areas. Gracias a Dios he believed me and didn't speak Portuguese. He was intrigued and started rambling on about fútbol.
Besitos, B.
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