At the rate we're going, we're going to spend the whole semester laughing at ourselves.

Today was full of adventures and mistakes along with the subsequent laughing at ourselves.

After a morning of academic orientation and a presentation about how to interact with the host families, we only had a short language evaluation and then we had the rest of the day to ourselves. After my short conversation that I believe will be used to place me in my Spanish class, I went to a bakery and bought una tarta for lunch. Apparently their system involves taking a number when you enter and waiting for it to be called to order. Let's just say we didn't catch onto this for a few minutes, but we eventually got our food. I got una tarta de espinacas (spinach) but couldn't finish it because I was a little full of coffee.

The time/portions/food of the meals in Buenos Aires of course is a different from what I'm accustomed to. They eat a light breakfast of cafe con leche (which I haven't actually had, but I generally don't want coffee with breakfast) and toast or a croissant. The idea of eating a friend egg for breakfast is silly. I've been eating cereal with a banana. Apparently bananas are the only fruit or vegetable imported in Argentina. They grow the rest. Lunch is usually around 1. I've had a tarta, pasta, and chicken sandwich so far. A light snack with tea or coffee around 6 is apparently popular, but I have yet to partake. Dinner is eaten late. At least after 8, but my family eats later. I've been so busy moving around the city that I haven't had time to be hungry. Lunch at 1, tea at 7 or 8, and dinner at 9:30 have been perfectly fine with me. My host mom said that they don't eat as much beef as the average Argentine-- which Lonely Plants says is 70 kg a year, twice the average American. This is all fine with me because I can't say that I care for beef. But since I'm here, I guess I should take advantage and give it a try.

Back to today--> The men are known to be more forward than an American is accustomed to. However, I was not exactly expecting to need to be on my guard while I was in the IFSA building, waiting outside a door for my oral exam/quiz. The door man was walking around the building and stopped to talk to me. He asked me how my trip here was, for how long I'd be here, etc. Then he told me about a 'bolich' (club) called Shampú, like Shampoo. Before I knew it I my head was nodding, in affirmation that I understood what he was saying, as he asked me if I wanted to come with him and that he'd call me later. I guess I'll have to change my head nod or else I'll be saying yes to all sorts of things. Let's just say he had a good a decade on me, and I won't be leaving the building without a wink anytime soon. Don't worry, he doesn't have my phone number anyway.


There's plenty more to say, but the family is home now, and I'm going out to my first bar tonight!