PLAZA MAFALDA and surrounding areas....

Oops hit the wrong button, and now ended up with two parts to the story, anyway as I was trying to say. Mafalda is a comic strip written and drawn by the Argentine cartoonist Joaquín Salvador Lavado (pen name Quino). The strip features a girl named Mafalda (5 years old at the time of the comic's creation) who is deeply concerned about humanity and world peace and rebels against the world as it is. The strip ran from 1964 to 1973 and was very popular in Latin America, Europe and in Asia, leading to two animated cartoon series and a movie. On our last visit I bought Brad the 5 English Translated books. For those that don't know Brad is a cartoon junkie - anyway I just think Mafalda is so cute! and so I had to go to the Plaza. I caught the subte across town and then walked 12 clocks to get there. Unfortunately there was no Mafalda statue, but there were murals around the park, many defaced with graffiti tags - but I did get to hear a percussion band that was practising in the park. As I left the park, I found the most awesome Antique market - Mercado de las Pulgas. Wow! did it have amazing stuff and at very good prices too. So if I ever have to furnish our own place I know where I will head off...

I then decided to carry on walking to Palermo. Palermo is really one of the most vibey neighbourhoods in the city. So after walking another 13 blocks... to Plazza Sorreno, the heart of Palermo Viejo, I needed a drink. I thought that I would sit at one of the side walk cafe, drink some wine, people what and be cool!!!! I did and it was fantastic. The only "problem" was that the cafe I chose didn't serve wine by the glass only by the 375ml bottle!!! So then I decided that I needed to eat something, couldn't drink all that on an empty tum... I ordered "una hamburguesa solo" (roughly translated plain hamburger!) no problems, a dry toasted sesame bun with a grilled burger patty arrived, with some mayonnaise spread on the bun, it was rather tasty, but then anything would probably taste good after all the San Felippe I had drunk!

I once ordered a Hamburguesa complejo - it arrived with everything - lettuce, tomato, and the obligatory ham and cheese (jamon y queso). Argentines love their ham and cheese, it is on everything and sometimes for a change they have cheese and ham!!! Well at least there is no problem with deciding what sandwich filling to choose.

Came back to the apartment and watched a Julia Roberts Trilogy - Erin Brokwitz, Notting Hill and My Best Friend's Wedding! oh no I'm turning into a TV junkie!! After all that went to bed, and I must say I was very relieved this morning when I looked in the mirror and saw that my eyes had not turned square!!

I know its been a while since I wrote anything, but life just gets into a routine and ..... anyhow yesterday was Saturday, the sky was blue and so after my chores I decided to go and find Plaza Mafalda.

Feria de Mataderos

A bus trip right across the city and you have the Feria de Mataderos. This fair happens every Sunday. It's an authentic celebration of Argentine country life, folk music and gaucho traditions.

A great day out and all it cost was the return bus fare and a bite to eat! Excellent value.

I had fun watch people dance, sing and generally had a great time.

the week past....

Spanish classes are going well. I know a lot more words, and a few verb conjugations. I am now able to start stringing the words together and making sentences...... but still no one understands me!!! I have to work on the pronunciation.

Yesterday (Saturday) I went to La Boca with a few of the students from the Ibero Spanish School. We had a great time. El Caminto, the short pedestrianised street in La Boca is famous for its colourful "houses". Although it is rather touristy, its a great way to spend a couple of hours and it offers great photo opportunities.

The Weekend

Life is so hectic. I finished my TEFL course on Friday and we had a "graduation" dinner at an excellent parilla in Palermo. After the dinner a few of us went off to a house party, it was really good and I got to meet a whole new crowd of people - local and foreign. It was another late night/early morning!!! Just spent Saturday goofing around. I had to change rooms, because I extended my stay the room I was in had already been booked, so I "packed up" and shifted across the passage. The big move will be on 17th when I move into our new home. Might need to organise a moving in party!! Saturday evening I met up with Nazareno, (he was the guy who took me out my first Friday in BA) I met his sister and his mum. We went out for coffee and cake - which did seem a little strange to me at 7.30pm, but I suppose that what you do to tide you over till supper which is like 10.30-11 pm! Nazareno's mum learnt English at school, but hasn't really used it 40 years, and my Spanish is rather poor. I know some vocab - but can't really make complete sentences...... it was an interesting evening..... Nazareno was the official interpreter. So when I came home I decided that was it!!! I AM GOING TO LEARN SPANISH. I found a good school, not too expensive, their curriculum was put together well. So I signed up - 60hrs in 3 weeks. I started yesterday, so 2 lessons down and I am loving it. I have 2 other students in my class - a husband and wife from Sydney, Australia. So it is almost like having private lessons. Next blog post might even be in Spanish!! The school organises 'cultural' outings and activities, watching movies going to museums and tango classes, as well as conversation group to practice talking, eat empanada and drink mate. The classes are in the morning from 9-1. So I have scheduled job interviews for the afternoons. Not too much around at the moment, am going to advertise private lessons, and see how that goes. I will keep looking at the language schools, something will come up. Sunday was a great day. Afternoon Asado on the deck. Evan, Chris and Mike invited a whole crowd around for Asado (barbeque or braai), it was grand. The weather was clear but icy cold so it was so nice to sit on the apartment deck around the fire. After eating and drinking we were up for some darts and pool, so we headed off to the local sports bar and played pool and then the jugs of beer just kept flowing and the drinking games began. It was like being a student all over again. Great fun, but not sure that I could do it all the time.

RANDOM PICS #1

TEFL BUENOS AIRES - Graduating Class of May 2009

It is all over - one month ago we all started learning , and now we are finished the course and qualified to teach English as a Foreign Language. In fact today FRIDAY 5 JUNE. I taught my first paying class. A company called ETS (English Systems Training) works with businesses in the city who have English Classes for their employees. I went for an interview earlier in the week and they put me on their books. Yesterday afternoon they phoned me up and asked if I could do a fill in class for regular teacher who couldn't make it. I said yes immediately. So I spent most of last night preparing the class, and was up at sparrow - showered, dressed and down in the micro centre to start tecahing at 8.30am. This group usually has a work book that they work from, but because they have just finished a module I didn't want to start the next one as I don't know if I will see them again. So I decided to have a fun lesson. The theme was movies and cinema. The group are employees of Standard Bank, all men in middle management. Today I only had 3 students but we had such fun. Talking about movies, different genre, versatility of actors and actresses. We did movie reviews, reading some from today's Buenos Aires Herald - 'weekend what's up' and then the students also had the chance to write their own review of their favourite movie. I enjoyed the class and I think the students did to. In 10 days time I am presenting a workshop (3hrs) to other students also of Standard Bank. As the bank has dealings with South Africa and UK. it is important for employees to learn English and to have native teachers who have the accent. Most English teachers here tend to be American, the accent is very different. It is also important to learn customers and traditions and other cultural differences. Small thing like greetings and gestures - casual language and more formal business language. So I think some very exciting times ahead.

ALFAJORCITOS DE DULCE DE LECHE

Definitely not for the feint hearted!! These Delicious chocolate biscuits are a chocoholics dream.

2 Vanilla biscuits sandwiched together with condense milk and the coated with chocolate and finished off with a almond nut. There is huge competition out on the streets to see who produces the best alfajorcitos, I've tried three different types and so far these little babies get my vote. They are the ultimate late night pick me up. A glass of wine and an alfajorcitos and I can carry on doing lesson plans till the cows come home!!!