San Telmo

Sunday, 26th

I slept in, then made breakfast/lunch and got ready to go out. I met up with the girls on the subte and we went to the San Telmo market. Wasn’t really going to get anything, but I actually ended up getting most of my souvenirs, and I’m pretty sure it was cheaper than the Recoleta market. My surprise find was something HILARIOUS that will go in my bathroom….so you’ll have to come over to my house to see it because you have to see it. The best part was it’s funny, and it especially reminds me of BA for several reasons. I also got my mom and my brother gifts. I’m really excited about those because I think for once I scored something that John will appreciate. I think I came out of the market with a few other things as well, but I don’t remember completely. I’ll probably go back one of my weekends here, but this time to talk to the vendors. I’m really curious about how it’s structured and stuff.

There were of course, the customary people tango dancing and random people posing for pictures. I got some of the yummy awesome street nuts I love, and I almost got some freshly squeezed orange juice (we watched them squeezing it), but then I realized it would have pulp. After we finished, headed back on the subte. When I made it back to my apartment, I was really tired. I napped for a bit, then made myself work on some lesson plans. The goal is to finish all of them today/tonight so I can actually go out this week (birthday week/Rebe’s last week). I barely made it through my lesson plan with Maricel tomorrow night though – we’re doing the first and second conditional. Oh, what’s so different about this week is that I’m substituting for six classes. Two of them are my final ones with Julian before his prof returns. Four of them are for a prof who has the influenza. So I actually have 14 classes this week, ranging from one hour to an hour and a half, which is a far cry from the one a week I was doing a month ago. Crazy! So it’s going to be a very full week. Also had a false moment of hope when my internet connection said it was working. Turns out there is a non-protected network nearby, but it’s JUST out of my reach….too low to actually bring up pages. Oh well, no Internet has led to more reading, which has been wonderful.

After working on my lesson plans for a bit, I headed to church. Along the way I was pondering about my thesis, and I was struck by some random questions which will be interesting to follow up. I was scared I was going to forget them though, so I stopped in the middle of the street and proceeded to write them down in my notebook. That’s how genius happens, right? I didn’t notice any weird looks or anything though.

Mass was really wonderful, peaceful, and just what I wanted. We’re still not doing the “peace be with you”, except in our heads, but I’m thinking that in August they’ll reinstate it. The readings were all about being provided for food-wise. It’s interesting to hear passages about poverty and feeding people in the context of Buenos Aires. When I’m in my College Station bubble, I don’t pass homeless people on every block, and it’s more of an “idea”. Here, the idea of people not having food is a very real experience. I wish I had the guts to talk to the people living in doorways. I want to know how they ended up there, and why they don’t (or how they do) attempt to obtain shelter and some semblance of financial security, if you will. I just don’t understand it. Sometimes the people have physical disabilities, but even then I just wonder where their family is. For instance, there is always this one lady outside of church when we leave. She is in a wheelchair, and she just sits out there. As we crossed the street today, this lady ran in front of us. Think of the idea of a crazy witch. I promise whatever crazy idea you have in your mind is not far-fetched. She had crazy curly, dirty, knotted hair that went in every direction and she kind of crotched over as she half-ran, half-limped across the street, all the while talking to herself. I really don’t understand, although I suppose if you are mentally handicapped, as she appeared to be, then maybe you don’t notice it. But again, I just watch and don’t do anything about it, and then have the privilege to write about it, so yea.

After mass, walked home, picked up a coke on the way, and am now preparing to do some hardcore lesson planning. Gotta earn those pesos ;)