don't cry for me, argentina (i'll be crying for you)

After a glorious two weeks here in Argentina, my trip is finally coming to a close. I have enjoyed the luxuries of hammocs and banana smoothies, free time and sleeping in, only to turn around again to start school on Tuesday. Hno. Spannaus asked me last night if I was starting to feel at home here; Becca rightly informed him that I felt at home as soon as I arrived. So, thank you familia Spannaus and Orquera, for your hospitality and generosity. Thanks Ty and Becca, for letting me crash your six-week party. Thanks to all of you "readers" for checking up on me. Thanks Argentina, for stealing my heart. I definitely needed this.

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Oh and thanks to everyone for making this a great birthday, though I still grimace at the fact that my age is a palindrome for only the second time since single digits.

is that all you've got, meyer?

Okay, so, I just wanted to announce publicly that yes, I am done with the entire Twilight saga. I am somewhat bewildered that I finished so quickly, but, considering the deep, passionate love affair I had with Edward, I guess that it isn't really that surprising...

slurp.

gulp.

I hate cats. Usually.

Okay, so, it´s true that I hate little domesticated felines that run around houses and break into tuna cans, but, I do not hate big cats. In fact, when I was little my favorite animal was a white tiger (for a long time, and, I saw one at the BA zoo for the first time in real life the other day). Anyway, we went to the Zoo Lujan here in Argentina and it was by far the coolest zoo I have been to. Not only could we feed almost all of the animals, but, we got to ride elephants and camels and go in cages with lions and tigers and...not bears. The zoo raises these big cats from birth and ¨domesticates¨them with little puppies. Ben (from LOST) would be very proud, because these normally large and scathing predators are raised thinking they are PUPPIES. Yeah. I guess that there is some sort of seriously twisted psychology stuff involved in that. But, on the other hand, it just teaches you how much influence your surroundings and upbringing can have.

One word: C-O-O-L!

Caved.

I have a terrible, horrible, confession. I'm sure most of you know that I am too proud and stubborn to get involved in utterly trendy books and movies. I have only read the first three Harry Potter books--long before anyone else knew they existed. Then the whole world caught on, and I decided that I wasn't interested in reading the rest of them. Partly because I have never really had enough time to lose an entire day to a book I might become a slave to since they really became popular, and partly becuase I am, well, stubborn.

Well, here in Argentina things have been a little different for me. I have time on my hands--an utterly beautiful and long-lost novelty. I can stroll around the block for fun, to look at houses if I want to. It's weird. Well the first days here were spent in Buenos Aires and I still wasn't really vacationing because I was prancing around the city trying to catch everything before I left for the suburb. Now I am in the suburb, and I should be bored but I'm not. Our first morning here I was checking my email and Becca sat Twilight next to me as she strolled into the kitchen. I huffed at her as she said, "One chapter won't kill you." How ironic those words turned out to be. I am in the hype, losing sleep and sanity over Bella, Edward, and Jacob (who I hate desperately)'s story. I like the first one the best (I am on number three. I started three days ago). I am in the midst of a huge trend. Knee-deep. And, though I would normally cower at the thought of such uncharacteristic behavior, I am proud to say that I have some free time, am doing some free reading, and am going out to the hammoc Hno. Spannaus bought in Paraguay yesterday to read some more. So shoot me.

(PS - While I do shudder at some of the more "technical" aspects of Meyer's writing, I have to give her props because I haven't been this absorbed in a story since I woke up sweating from nightmares involving me running around avoiding Raskalnikov while reading Crime and Punishment. My heart flutters, my stomach flops, and I get butterflies when Edward is around. That's enough for me).

encontre a mi corazon en argentina

So, I am going to post a few pictures (the uploading takes a while on this computer) and I am going to give hardly any explanation. Basically all you need to know is that these pictures are from Buenos Aires in general and the zoo there (which Tyler and Becca posted about, so you can read more about it there). Anyway, this place is magical. I could easily live here for ten or fifteen years as long as I got to eventually go home to my free country. Then again, maybe I could stay here forever if I could learn to speak better in vos...

I love this shot. No doctoring.

La familia Orquera. They were high school sweethearts, he waited for her on her mission. I love them.

Tango in downtown BA.

Outside the Orquera's apartment.

Apparently Tyler has been waiting his whole life to see a Tapir.

We bought animal food for 3 pesos or something and this monkey caught biscuits when we threw them at him.

This is the OCD apartment I was talking about. I'm in love.

Algunas Cosas...

Here are a few things that you might want to read about:

- I love Buenos Aires, I love the huge city, I love the ridiculously efficient Subte that runs throughout the city. I do not love that my spanish is apparently foreign here because I do not speak in "castellano" (which means that 'll' and 'y' are pronounced as 'j', also, everyone here speaks in 'vos', which is the form every spanish teacher I ever had skipped over because it is a form 'they only use in Argentina'). Curses. I'm getting the hang of it, but I am much better at Spanish than I appear.

- I love la familia Orquera, who we are staying with in the city. The wife is a designer and I'm obsessed with all the magazines and books I find all over the enormous apartment. Also, her apartment is immaculate and I guarantee she is OCD (and has a maid), so I am right at home.

- We went to the Argentine equivalent of Farmer's Market yesterday which was, to say the least, awesome. Becca got a beautiful ring to wear in lieu of her actual wedding ring (so it doesn't get stolen) and I got some fun leather flats with cool designs on them.

- We went to the Buenos Aires the other day for 15 pesos...that's 5 dollars...and we got to fead sea lions little anchovies. I don't know, I guess I just think the US zoos are pretty lame now.

- Last night after the farmer's market we were wandering around and went into this mall that is, esentially, a giant showplace for multiple interior designers. Um. Why don't we have those in the US?

- The Orquera's dog, Roco, stole my little travel pillow thing and tore it apart. He did so in the process of returning to his little den. Um. There were styrafoam (sp?) microbeads all over everything. Really funny but really sad. I felt dumb.

- Finally, I'm thinking of starting a petition in the US to incorporate foreign yogurts into the food pyramid. Turns out that the yogurt is tastier (mostly because they use hardly any preservatives) in every place BUT the US (Kefir, I still love you).

I am done with this post. Today we are going to the gardens and the Buenos Aires MOA. Can't wait!

PS - Pictures coming soon.

Dirria que les extrano...pero...

Para que sepan, I arrived in Argentina after landing in Uruguay due to heavy fog in Buenos Aires. They lost my bags, and we got rear-ended on the Argentine freeway on our way home.

I love it here.

(PS I dont't know how to create a tilde ni accento on this computer, so back off).

Nos Vemos

So, I had a dream last night that one of my ex-boyfriends tried to kill me with a little bomb that was sent through the antenna of his palm pilot, through chlorinated water, and into my ear. Luckily it didn't go off because it could only be used once and it could only work on the right person...somehow I had avoided it before. I woke up right in the middle of some other funny events in the dream. Needless to say, I'm scared to go swimming (not).

I am leaving for Argentina (well for the airport), in about an hour, and I'm stoked. Becca happily announced (via email) that dulce de leche is "sin gluten", so, if I never come home again, that's why. Nos Vemos!

Thank you for the Magic Erasers, Mr. Clean.

I. Was. So. Close.

My plan for the rest of this summer (after finishing finals) was to finish my prints once and for all, go to Argentina, and return to finish my stained glass project--which would mean that all of my make-up work from last year would be complete.  Well, to make a long story short, my print didn't end up working today and the presses are ALL occupied until Thursday, which is the day of the final for the current lithography class.  Thursday is also the day I leave for Argentina.  I'm frustrated I didn't get to finish in time.  I'll have to do it when I get home...

On a happier note, we had a family reunion this past weekend that was so much fun.  We stayed up at this unreasonably large house (I got a workout walking from end to end) and played with cousins all day long.  I also got to play with Patten all day long which is, of course, my favorite thing ever.  Props to Mom and Kristin for organizing the whole thing.  It was a huge success.  I took some pictures and I'll post them later.  Right now I need to go breathe and clean my apartment before I leave.  I would hate to leave a messy apartment...though I guarantee I'll be coming home to one.

PS - Yes, I made that.  But it's an intaglio print, not a lithograph.

Procrastinating.

So I was planning on writing this little thing right before taking my last test of the summer, but unfortunately the upload thingy wasn't working so I am doing it post-test.  I just wanted to share my love of these little bars with everyone.  They are a bit pricey but they are an entire meal in one bar.  This is not a joke, they contain: peanut butter, raw unheated buddy bee honey (whatever that means), milk protein, egg protein, rice protein, dried whole food powders (sunflower seed, sesame seed, flax seed, rice bran, rose-hip, orange, lemon, grapefruit, tomato, apple, bell pepper, papaya, mango, black cherry, cranberry, fig, alfalfa, celery, spinach, parsley, mint, kelp, dulse), olive oil, sunflower seed oil, sesame seed oil, pumpkin seed oil, almond oil, and rice bran oil.  More than half the ingredients are totally organic.  Anyway, I know it sounds disgusting with all that stuff in there, but after the second bar you'll be hooked.  Lizzie I think you would particularly like these...they are very yummy and full of good stuff to help you run faster or longer or something.  Anyway...I am going to do math.  Okay bye.

The Final Stretch

So, if you take a look at the above picture (and consider the title of this post) you will probably wonder, "But, who on earth is she racing against in this final stretch?"  Kids, I'm racing myself.  And trust me...that makes life a whole lot more stressful!

Summer term is wrapping up and I have a test to take tomorrow (that's the least of my worries).  I still need to figure out where I'm going to be living in the fall (stay in my current apartment?  learn Italian?), what classes I'm going to take (do I apply to architecture school this December or next?  DO I REALLY WANT TO GO TO ARCHITECTURE SCHOOL?), figure out what my final show is going to be like (I know it's in March, but its the culminating project of my entire career at BYU), and make some other big, big decisions.  Oh and I expect to have some fun in my final year here, so lets add that to the mix.  

But, while it looks like I'm complaining, what I'm really trying to say is that I'M ALMOST DONE WITH MY UNDERGRAD!  Can you believe it?  I really, really can't.  It seems like just yesterday Stu was sitting on his porch playing the banjo and everyone in King Henry thought that Tyler and I were dating.  I hope this post isn't too premature, I just needed to announce my excitement publicly.  

Betcha Didn't Know...

So I have realized (usually when set up on blind dates) that a lot of people who think they know me really, really don't.  (Ex: "Oh my gosh, I totally found your EC, you are going to love this guy he's perfect for you."  Date happens.  I get home thinking, "DO YOU KNOW ME!?")  I have come to realize over the past few years that I am a somewhat surprising person.  And, in lieu of this recent realization I have decided to treat all of you (who probably actually do know me) to ten things you might not know about me.

001.  I love to hate anyone who looks good in skinny jeans.  I pretend I hate those pants, but I am actually jealous of anyone who can pull them off.  I am ultra-jealous of people who successfully wear skinny jeans and have a pretty face.  I feel like that doesn't usually happen.

002.  I hated country music (with a burning passion) my entire life.  Then I decided it was kind of happy a few years ago and started listening to it.  Lately I have been avoiding it like the plague again (though it tends to sneak in every once in a while).

003.  I am smart.  I wish I could tell all the stories I have about people thinking or insinuating I'm stupid just because I am an art major.  

004.  I refuse to eat shellfish (and pretty much any seafood besides actual fish) because my dad is allergic to it.  I tried shrimp once and I almost threw up (texture, flavor, everything, revolting).  I also refuse to eat squash, zucchini, and anything that is blue (naturally or artificially).  

005.  I want to live in another country for a few years.  Soon.  I like big cities and I like walking everywhere.

006.  I ate organic food before my health dictated it.  I like conserving energy and I like "green" things and ideas.  I am pretty much a tree-hugger at heart, but I am too obsessed with fashion and clothing to wear all-hemp and recycled apparel (though they are starting to make a lot of really cool, really "green" items).

007.  I don't know my love language.  I didn't really know what that was until Saturday at work when my supervisor was telling us to learn the girls' love languages and use that knowledge to create stronger bonds.  The five "languages" are: words of affirmation, quality time, receiving gifts, acts of service, and physical touch.  Does anyone know their language?  Does anyone know mine?

008.  If there were some way to get rid of every single cat on the planet, I would volunteer to do it.

009.  I don't like fake people.  I don't like ulterior motives.  I especially don't like it when people think that I don't realize they are fake.  I'm pretty observant and I think it would be better for both parties if time and energy wasn't wasted on fake emotion. 

010.  I am scared to graduate from college because there are so many things I want to do with my life.  It overwhelms me to think that after earning my degree it's not a matter of waiting but a choice of which path to take.