Living Abroad

Every time we leave the safety of our apartment, we become paranoid, suspicious observers. Thank God we do.

We were taking the subway yesterday and as we stepped off the train onto the platform, we both immediately saw a young woman with dark sunglasses on. She did not proceed to get on the train, but instead took a look at us and immediately turned around and started walking in the same direction we were walking. However, she started walking at a snail's pace. Without either one of us indicating our suspicion to one another, we slowed down in order not stay behind her. We continued following her until we reached the stairs and that was when she turned around to see where we were and why we hadn't passed her yet. When she looked behind at us, K locked eyes with her for several seconds and gave her the look of death. Stupid biatch turned around and went back to the platform to find another victim.

What the hell is wrong with this city?! Yeah, yeah, Jorge is an obvious tourist/foreigner. But come on! We do NOT look like we have much money on us or in general. We are not wearing jewelry of any kind or even watches. Our clothes are the equivalent of what the typical local is wearing. K's hair is not glistening with an expensive dye job or hairstyle. Rob someone else!!!! And honestly guys... we're getting sick of hearing how Jorge should dye his hair. For those of you who are brunettes (especially men), would you honestly dye your hair bleach blond if that was the only way to fit in?

Anyway, karma took effect on the city when we took a taxi from our old apartment to our new apartment yesterday. K didn't realize it right away, but the cabbie gave her too much change and we ended up paying only 5 pesos for the ride instead of 11.40. However, it's worth noting that the likely reason he gave back too much change was due to him trying to screw us. He didn't bother getting all the change together at once. Instead, he gave only 15 pesos in the beginning and then looked like he wasn't going to give any more change. However, K didn't budge so then he proceeded to give more change although still not enough. K had to wait again and it was then that he gave too much money. At this point, K just wanted to get out of the car and make sure all our bags were together, and didn't notice the total given.

Suspicion and paranoia are really tiring... and really make you angry with your surroundings and the people. We're both ready to punch someone in the face (not a very evolved way of behaving) if we catch them in the act of stealing from us. And we're tired of walking around with extremely serious looks on our faces. First of all, that is how the majority of Argentineans look on the street. Actually, we meant to tell you all about the little girl we saw dancing at the party we went to. She was having so much fun dancing that she was hitting anyone who tried to take her off the stool she was dancing on. However, she did not smile once!? We've also witnessed this kind of smile-less "fun" in the milonga. Part way through the night, there is a set of cumbia and rock'n'roll songs. Many locals get up to dance and seem to be having a great time.. but they rarely smile while doing so. Second of all, we want to discourage anyone trying to steal from us by looking a little more threatening and more aware of our surroundings.

We really love our new apartment. It's very luminous and very clean. There are two bathrooms, an air conditioner in every room, and a washing machine! Now if we could just find the hair dryer that was listed as an an amenity in this apartment. We are within minutes of the subway and many bus lines, and right beside GREEN. That's right, we are very close to a park... with trees and grass!

If you want to take a quick look at some pictures of the place, check out the link:

http://www.bytargentina.com/re/propview.php?view=1915

The negatives are that the apartment is in the downtown area. This means it's a tourist trap. Every store employee tries to speak to you in English and most menus are in English (this does not help our Castellano education) and everything is more expensive in the area. As an example, coffee is up to 2 pesos more (which is kind of the equivalent of paying $2Cdn more for your coffee in Canada). We walked around quite a bit today and couldn't find a verduleria (a fresh veggie/fruit store) and the supermarkets are few and far between (and more expensive!). We're steps away from the most likely place to be robbed: Florida Street. And unfortunately, we don't have a wide enough balcony to soak up some cancer rays either... Oh well.

The weather is on crack again. We were loving the 35+ weather (plus humidity) and now after the psychotic rain storms (that made our ceiling leak in our last apartment since the water had flooded from the balcony upstairs into the empty apartment... and nothing could be done since the police had blocked off that apartment when the family-less occupant died!?) it was 18 degrees today! Brrrrrrrrr!

We would love to hear what all of you have been up to. Please email us!

The title refers more to the Buenos Aires people than ourselves. They got trust issues. Every home, apartment, and business is "protected" by barred windows and doors, or solid metal curtains. Every building resembles a miniature prison. What must it feel like to grow up believing you need that protection? What must it feel like to grow up jailed in (or out) of your home? Yes, you definitely want those bars to keep the graffiti "artists" away from your walls. Every single surface that can be painted with graffiti is.

Then how is it a city so caught up with their own safety is so quick to turn around and make tourists/foreigners fearful of them? It isn't only the "seedy" characters that are trying to steal from or cheat you in some way. We already mentioned how two different waiters tried to over-charge us. And these waiters seemed like perfectly nice people who had happily interacted with us.

We were almost robbed the other day on the train. "Luckily" we are observant and we are paranoid. If not for these traits, we definitely would have had something stolen from us. We stepped onto a fairly crowded subway and right away, a decently dressed young man kept staying by our side. Although quite crowded, it did not make sense just how close he kept getting to us. He had the "trademark" jacket over his arm, but it was the attempted padding at Jorge's pant pockets that tipped him off and it was the slight opening of the zipper of Jorge's bag that tipped K off. K immediately pulled them to the middle part of the train and that was the last we saw of Robber. This is the reason K is the one carrying the majority of the money. Robbers automatically assume that the man will have the money.

Infuriated. That is how we feel about the people in this city. Jorge wants us to start carrying our Swiss Army knife. We constantly have to double check our bills (IF we are even given one), add up expenses before asking for the bill, check that prices are listed, hope the fresh pasta we bought at the "fresh pasta" store will be fresh (nope), double check the money isn't counterfeit, double check the money is whole and not ripped, double check the items you are getting at the supermarket haven't already been opened, check out the security of our surroundings, etc.

Jorge is a small guy and he sticks out here more than ANY other tourist or race. There will most likely not be any pictures of this city. At least not the pictures Jorge wants to take. He will eventually get pictures of all the beautiful buildings, but not of the city. The real city. Every time he thinks about taking out the camera, he needs to take a look at the people around and judge their level of threat. Please excuse what sounds like a very prejudist comment, but every man here looks like a threat. To repeat, our sweet and kind looking waiter attempted to cheat us.

Every day here is a struggle to remind ourselves to love everyone equally.

We have found and met wonderfully good people here too. The people in Tango have been great. Our weekly private lessons with S&A are great and they are so nice and so sweet. The milonguero (a man who has been dancing Tango since his youth) who we met thanks to the young couple we met through the Tango competition (you can read about that here: http://movementinvitesmovement.wordpress.com/2008/11/03/competition/) is such a kind man with a serious passion for Tango. The practica we go to twice a week is filled with happy faces who, after meeting you once (or not at all), begin to kiss you on the cheek to say hello and goodbye (men kiss here as well, and it is the most lovely sight). There is a lot of kindness here and many will bend over backwards to help you.

Speaking of backwards... A cockroach crawled out of God-knows-where in our bathroom to commit suicide. That's right. We have made a scientific observation: When cockroaches are about to die, they leave their friends, come up to the land of the humans, and then jump unto their backs to die. How the hell did this disgusting bug end up upside down in our bathroom!?!?! YUK! It wasn't even dead yet! It had obviously flipped itself over, but hadn't moved on to the world of dead cockroaches yet.

The food situation hasn't changed much. We are doing our best to get the nutrients we need. For the first time in K's life, we are taking multi-vitamins. The change in diet, the lack of proper nutrients, and the change in sleep patterns, etc, led to Jorge getting tonsillitis (which he hasn't had since he was a child). Obviously Jorge never properly healed from the cold he had when we first arrived here - how could he with the lack of proper nutrition. To point out another example of the lack of proper nutrition here: At the supermarket, there is ONE choice for 100% juice (it is Tropicana, but it is made with the crappiest non-orange oranges). The other "juices" have 20% real juice in them!?

Today, after waking up at 3pm (early) and blogging, we are going to a Tango group lesson and then we are attending a party. Speaking of kindness... Our local cafe where we go every day for cafe con leche y media lunas (and empanadas when they have them) has invited us to one of their weekly private parties (after the cafe closes for the night). The owners and staff are young and after seeing us there daily for over a month, they must feel sorry for us (just kidding!). We were invited last weekend, but Jorge's fever and tonsillitis kept us away.

We are loving it here... but there is so much we hate.