Day 25: The Cool Day

To my delight, and my arteries' horror, I discovered a little pastry shop right on my way to school, about a block away. Today I had two croissants, and I also brought one to Paula who had returned today after feeling ill quite the day before. I will not allow this to become a daily tradition, even I (I think) can get a sweet-toothache. But for now and then, the little facturas make for an excellent mid-morning munch.

Classes were fine today, not superb, not awful; I had a moment of excitement this morning when I arrived early and saw that a new student was taking the placement test (which somehow I never took...), but he was assigned to the group that is right behind me, textbook-wise. Now I believe that the majority of the student body is from the USA or Canada. Of the students I see regularly, I can think of 7 English speakers (including an Irish lad) and 3 "foreigners" and there are a couple of students with whom I have only said "Hola" to in the hallway, an insufficient interaction for origin placement. 

After school I went to the Correo Argentina, more specifically the Correo Central, which is more for local postal matters, since I figured that the package would have started floating around the city after a failed attempt to make a landing at the apartment, but apparently (as I found after waiting in two different lines in two different buildings) the package as modified its flight plans and has rerouted back to the US of A. Therefore, Mom, I think you can expect a package from yourself in the nearby future. It came so close, to my literal doorstep. 

Tonight Betty had a friend over for dinner, we had homemade empanadas, a tort (which to me has a strange, sweet taste), some slight variation of guacamole with apple pieces and crackers, some tortilla (which here is essentially a cheese-based quiche  deal) and we topped it off with some apple pie and cream while watching a TV program about the current political situations, lies told by the news stations and papers, and I'm sure other things which I missed since everyone on the show talks rapidly and uses words that I am not used to or expecting to hear. So, I catch words and phrases, not intention or context. That makes for a slightly frustrating experience. I wish I could remember all the vocabulary I have been exposed to, and could use it and recognize it. Why can I not be a genius? I wish you could improve your IQ by doing pushups or squats. If that were the case I could get in shape and dominate the language learning experience. 

Today was actually "chilly" in the shade. I woke up and found that the overhead fan was making me cold. I was shocked. And pleased. The subway was only hot, versus sweltering, and the cool air did not burn off with the day. Even on my way home from school I found myself putting my hands in my pockets or crossing my arms. It was lovely. Very nice. "¡Muuuuuy bien!" as the Argentineans say.

Anyways, in case you had not picked up on my current state of sleepiness by tonight's ramblings, I think it is time for bed. 6 hours of private lessons definitely is a different experience than a group class, I think the change is taking its toll on my mind's battery capacity. I will go to sleep with the image of that silly package snuggled cozily on a plane riding over the waves under the moonlight. 

Chao.