Dos Dias in Buenos Aires!

Two days in Buenos Aires and I still feel like I am in Europe not South America. On Monday, I arrived in the country at 10:30 and by noon I was in my Spanish Immersion Class which I am taking for a week. As part of the Expanish School, I choose a homestay over a hotel, hostel or apartment with other students. I feel so lucky to be living with this adorable, 60 year old woman, Graciela. I basically having an Argentine mother here that feeds me breakfast, dinner, wakes me each morning and looks after me to arrive home safely. I live in the Recoletta neighborhood which is the wealthy, safe area I am told.

My first night in Buenos Aires, I planned to meet up with the other students at a Samba show. I arrvied a bit early, walking around the sketchy area searching for other students I recognized nobody! I for the first time of the day felt alone, and stood on the corner asking every American or European looking person if they studied at Expanish. No luck and I was about ready to go home, this Dutch guy walked out of the cab. I again used my pickup line, we ended up chatting for a few minutes, and then I asked him if he wanted to join me for the show. It ended up great, so apparently I need to stand on the corner more often to make friends!

I will say the one thing that really scares me is the taxi drivers. They are insane! Apparently, you don´t have to drive in your lane here and you dón´t have to stop at the "Pare" sign. I am constantly clasping my eyes, ears, mouth and yelling "oh my GOD!" which only makes the drivers laugh and take their eyes off the road.

Thus far all is good, I am so happy with my decison to travel again.

I’m going to Argentina!!!

After spending the last month in Wisconsin sending out countless cover letters/resumes I’ve decided to throw in the towel for 2009. Work….well hopefully that perfect job will appear in 2010 or that ten year high school class reunion could be bit awkward when I say “yeah, I’m unemployed but at least my passport is full!.”

Honestly, making this decision to travel again was a big one. A part of me feels guilty for taking in this pleasure of travel when I have the time but no job. Another part of me feels nervous because Montana did not turn out exactly as planned.

However, I set out to take the year of 2009 to explore and I want to finish it! Once I get back to the real world of 3 weeks vacation timek, I’m going to miss my freedom. So off I go to the international terminal for the last time of 2009. With dreams of Spanish conversations, tango, Mendoza’s finest Malbecs, and the Andes in mind.

London

I swapped Leslie for Molly as I flew from Malaga to London. It was so great to see Molly’s new life in London. I tagged along to her MBA lecture, salsa dancing, happy hour and even her rugby club. The number one highlight in England was punting down a river in Oxford and not tipping the boat over. Harder than it looks! The number two highlight was our ever so famous dinner party with a British twist and hosted by dear old Duncan.

Costa del Sol

One week of sunshine, the ocean, tapas is what I could only dream of after a summer in sub-60 temps, hail and even snow. Leslie and I rented an apartment over looking the ocean. In fact, our fourth night there Leslie was sitting on the balcony consuming a 1 Euro bottle of wine and she screamed “I see Africa!” Sure enough….there it was.

Marbella was great, more British than I ever imagined but it was relaxing way to spend a few hours sunbathing, swimming, sleeping until 10, running along the boardwalk and eating amazing tapas daily. It was the true definition of a relaxing vacation.

Now of course we had one wild night….the Leslie + Mandy bar crawl. Starting with our other bottle of 1 euro wine, followed by 2 for 1 pina coladas, a pitcher of sangria and a plate of Spanish jamon y manchego anad a shot to “settle our stomach” let to nothing but silliness. Starting with the ever so famous Mandy Pakes farm girl stories told in Spanish and complete with charades to get my point across which then lead to Leslie getting the best pickup line ever “You are the girl that threw rubbish in a truck, I must by you a drink!” She got this line after we took a “funny” picture of her helping the garbage collectors. All that lead to a truth or dare contest on a beach with our new Spanish “friend”. The night ended with Leslie running from wild “perros” and me resisting the very persistent friend who only wanted to “sleep on the couch in our apartment.” Good times in Spain!

Barcelona

Architecture – stunning, fresh food market – to die for! I can not rave enough about Barcelona and I put it in my top 10 cities in the world category wishing we had spent more than just two full days in the area. The market was expansive. If you wanted to eat any creature from the sea, sample any fruit, buy the authentic manchego cheese or enjoy Spanish spices you could find it here. Leslie and I rushed the market each morning to devour freshly squeezed juices, fresh baguettes and Spanish cheeses.

The highlight of the city was stumbling upon Barcelona’s festival to honor its patron saint. The city was alive with a full parade, music, drinking and free concerts for three straight days throughout the city. I loved the energy of the city and the life that surrounded it.

Munich

Oktoberfest, Bavarian Breakfast, Fussen, brats and beer + three American’s in drindle’s. Need I say more?!

Europe – It’s a hug for my soul

After three months in Montana my mind was screaming “I need culture” so a few quick conversations with my old roommates (Carly, Molly and Leslie) my flight was booked to Europe for month get-away to Germany, Spain and London. I left four days after my 23 hour cross country road trip home from Montana. I just needed to see my best girl friends, have beer at Oktoberfest, see the Gaudi architecture in Barcelona, soak up the sun in Costa del Sol and punt down a river in England.