I leave tonight!!! Wahooo!

Hola!

I hope everyone had a fantastic weekend! Mine was pretty laid back as it was kinda rainy all weekend and I was trying to save money for my upcoming trip! This evening I am meeting about 10 other LIFE volunteers and a couple coordinators at the bus station to embark on a 18ish hour bus ride to an indigenous village in the jungle of northern Argentina. We will spend a couple days there playing with the children, making meals, teaching hygiene, giving out more TOMS, and distributing donated clothing. I will, of course, write more detailed blogs about that experience upon my return. After leaving the village we will make a few more stops befre going back to Buenos Aires that will include visits to a waterfall and ancient ruins. I am thrilled, not only for the specific events of the trip, but to get out of the city for a bit. I know this may sound a bit negative, but let me tell you that Buenos Aires has had some interesting effects on me.

First of all, many of you can attest to the fact that I am usually rather slow moving. In fact, some friends in college used to call me SPA (Slowest Person Alive). Since living in the city, however, my former wandering self has transformed into a crazy american girl with a blonde mullet (my hair has grown out quite a bit and is less than attractive) speeding down the sidewalk at a superhuman pace and waiting for the street crossing sign to change, not patiently on the curb as I did my first week in BA, but on the street with the locals. Why, you ask? Well, as you might guess, understanding public transportation in a major city is not a skill that I have. My city experience in Omaha did not teach me this much needed life skill, so instead of taking the bus or the subway, I walk. A lot. Miles every day. And quickly. So, I am ready for some SPA wandering in a serious way!

As I hoped I would, I have met some very nice and cool people while living in Buenos Aires. At the art and souvenir fair last week I met these two boys from the U.S. who came down to Argentina to work on an organic farm for a semester and then went back to graduate from college. While in Argentina, however, they were floored by the lack of spice in the food (so true, nothing is spicy... even the pollo picante "spicy chicken" that I ordered from the Chinese restaurant on my block the other night was mild at best), so they decided to return for about a year and sell homemade hot sauce called La Boca Roja "The Red Mouth" at the local fair. I bought a small bottle for 20 pesos (about $5). I also met a girl from Boston who visited Okoboji for the first time ever this summer and ate at Bracco, the restaurant where I was a waitress this summer. She just so happens to have a close college friend from Des Moines who finally convinced her to visit Iowa this year! Small world!

All in all, I am learning a lot but am beyond excited to get a little nature in my life. I will be leaving my computer in Buenos Aires for the week and should have many exciting stories and pictures when I come back next Monday the 17th!

Abrazos!

wendy