Day 10: The Alfajor

Today was a second day of beautiful weather. I wish we could have our classes outside, because it was gorgeous. Judy and I were actually a little early today, having made the 09.00 subway train, versus the 09.10. I made sure that everyone noted our arrival, since I have had to dart in more than once very close to the beginning of class. It is always a bad sign when you arrive on the 3rd floor and they have already closed the door and you have ring the doorbell (of shame) and wait while someone grants you access.

We had a new teacher today instead of Marta, who was at the doctor's office. Her name is Gabriella, but she goes by "Gabi," and she was very nice, quite young with a more modern haircut and flair. Probably her best attribute that I picked up in our two hours of class was her very slow speech and careful enunciation. She did not get excited and whirl off in a string of rapid Spanish like the Marta and Marcelo frequently do...although that might be because she had a little bit of a sour throat. Peter had been her student before, and he said she was usually very loud, especially with students new to her classes. I guess for me her careful speech was the silver lining to her cold. She gave us a new perspective on the topics at hand and gave us the amusing and interesting assignment of writing up a description of our Christmas experience as a young child.

Tomorrow, instead of my private lesson, the school is going on a field trip to the Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires (MALBA). I am very excited because not only is a famous museum on the "must see" list in my guide book, but it is reduced price admission on Wednesdays. I will have to talk to the school about rearranging my private lesson to a different day/time. Also at school, I found out that there will be two more "sad" photos this week. We are loosing Andy and Lauren before Monday, so we will probably get more new students since a two person group lesson is almost contradictory.

Oh, I almost forgot to give you all the answer to the "acertijo" from yesterday: The answer is that since the trains are crossing each others' paths, they are both the same distance from Madrid (and Barcelona). Now, you cannot overanalyze this puzzle by saying that only for a split second are the trains exactly the same distance from the cities. It is a puzzle, and face it, you probably did not know the answer. Oh, that's right, of course you did. My error.

I have failed in my attempts to add my video clip of the River vs. Rosario Ctrl. game onto blogger.com. Before you all go and try and "help" me out, I watched all the tutorials etc, and I think that I am merely missing the link that is used to "Add a Video" that ought to be located directly next to my "Add a Photo" link. But, I have an alternate method of presenting the video, although it is sort of outsourcing. I uploaded the video to the website www.youtube.com and you can find my clip at the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCRrg7gNJPQ

It is only 20 seconds long, but it displays the enthusiastic cheering that ensued when River Plate team was awarded a penalty kick.

I had a small dinner because Betty went to her weekly cinema club, so I ate leftovers alone. But I did have a new experience earlier today while walking home from school: I stopped by a "Havanna" store (a store similar to Starbucks, but with more typical Argentinean items) and bought myself an Alfajor. Alfajors are pastries that have a slightly chalky layer sandwiching (I think I just made that word up...) a layer of, in my case,  dulce de leche. It was quite sweet, yummy, crumbly, and quite difficult to eat while entering the subway, but I managed. I think I might have had a chocolate smear or two across my face for the subway ride, I am not sure. People stare at me quite often because I am obviously a foreigner, so I do not know if it was because I was a sloppy foreigner or just a foreigner today.

I think that I shall head off to bed "early" tonight (aka before 12.30-01.00) because I was dead tired this morning. I find that it is quite a feat to yawn and eat simultaneously. Possibly an acquired talent.

Chao.