Frescas a la Muerta: Ashley- Buenos Aires: Getting there and first impressions

As most of you know, I've spent a long time waiting and listening to plenty of friends who have been abroad for months now, but I'm finally in Buenos Aires. It was totally worth the wait. I got pretty nervous about everything right before leaving, but so far everything has gone smoothly. The trip down here couldn't have been easier, partially because I practically didn't sleep the night before and was able to grab some z's on the plane. My connection to Buenos Aires was in Atlanta, and for those of you who are unaware, it's a pretty large airport. So, I had to take a train between terminals (of course where I arrived was the furthest terminal from where my next flight would depart) and was barely able to catch one before the doors closed. Out of breath and a little disoriented, I found an open handle on the tram and looked up to find Tim Gunn (fashion guru) standing two feet away! That was the peak of excitement of my trip, which is a-okay with me. Anywho, I sat next to a really nice woman on the plane who just bought me an in-flight bottle of wine before I realized what she was doing. I graciously accepted and soon drifted off to slumber only to wake up to an incredibly vibrant sunrise as we descended into the province of Buenos Aires.

As we drove in from the international airport (about thirty minutes outside of the actual city) I saw some horses just hanging out and enjoying the shade right off the freeway; I was definitely in South America then. I got to my hostel around noon yesterday and so far, so good. It seems pretty safe and clean and it's on Calle Florida, which is a pedestrian-only street. There are lots of vendors and musicians that stay on Florida all day trying to make a few extra pesos. In fact, the signs of poverty are practically inescapable here. So far I've seen women breastfeeding in the street, children running out into major intersections to juggle in front of the stopped cars, and a plethora of stray dogs. In fact, you really have to watch where you step because no one really cleans up the canine feces. As sad as it is, it's really interesting to see the contrast between the remnants of a mega-rich city amidst all this. Around the city's centennial (1920) it was flourishing, and within the next decade or so it ascended to one of the top three cities in the world. This is evidenced by the extreme decadence of a lot of the older buildings. Although the economy is not horrible, it has been through tough times and despite a recent period of relative stability is waning again. A couple weeks ago I checked the exchange rate and it was about 3.19 pesos to the dollar; when I arrived at the airport I got about 3.65 pesos to each dollar. However, as much as I'm talking up the poverty, there is a definite presence of a middle and upper class.

Today I slept until noon (no clocks in the hostel) and walked over to a cafe called Havanna, which is a pretty big chain (thanks for the recommendation, Fabio). The coffee here is excellent, and they always serve it with a tiny cup of sparkling water. Actually, sparkling water is really common here; you have to specify if you wan't agua sin gas (the regular stuff). After that, I walked up to my school, which is pretty far away (maybe an hour to an hour and a half walking), but I thought it would be good to see more of the city. I'm staying en el centro (downtown) but the school is in one of the outer barrios (districts) called Caballito. I walked up Rivadavia, one of the city's main arteries and I think I already have tan lines on my arms and feet because it was so sunny and hot today. When I got to the school it took my a few tries and help from a nice guy in the language department (everyone seems to be helpful thus far) to find the office for exchange students. I hadn't heard or received ANY information from the university, but after talking to Mercedes, my advisor, all of my worries were ameliorated. Actually, her first sentence when I introduced myself was, "I haven't received anything from your advisor at OU." I thought, great, I'm not going to be able to enroll. Before I could panic, she answered all the questions that I've been asking in futility for months now. I'm pretty sure I'll be able to take interesting classes and find a good place to live soon. Needless to say, the walk back to my school was much more relaxed. On the way back, I saw my first march! There were hundreds of people walking down one of the streets downtown marching for workers rights, with an emphasis on the rights of working women. Yesterday was the official dia de la mujer (day of the woman), but it was Sunday, and in a culture that embraces some aspects of a very Catholic tradition, most of the hubbub surrounding it was saved for today. It's good to see that some of the old machismo has dwindled, although it's still present in the objectification of women. It seems like people are pretty open about their criticism of the government here, whether it's expressed through a peaceful march, posters, or graffiti (which covers the lower levels of even the most beautiful pieces of art nouveau architecture).

And lastly, a few pictures for you. I haven't taken too many yet; although the city is safe, I don't feel too comfortable pulling out my camera until I am better acquanted with it.

This is El Obelisco, taken from the middle of 9 du julio, the widest street in the world. I only got halfway across before the lights changed again, and the opportunity to take this.