Friday, Sept. 15th, 2005, 4:45 p.m.
First, a belated commemoration of September 11th. I think wherever we are, we should recall the events related to and surrounding to the fall of the towers. Not only for those who died then, but what it has meant for countries like Afghanistan and Iraq since. It was the beginning of a terrible war.
And, of course, a moment of silence for the victims of Katrina. As my Mom and I know from hurricane Hugo, the aftermath is often worse than the storm itself, and it sounds like the people in New Orleans are having and going to have a really, really hard time. We were talking with someone who mentioned the fact that a lot of the people probably didn't have insurance on their homes, which means they will be left completely destitute. And the stories coming out of the convention center and stadium where they were kept are ... horrific. Days and days in the muggy weather with very little food and water. Apparently, the old people just started dying. It's awful.
OK, back to the story of my blessed life:
So we didn't like Rio.
We lost my leather jacked the first day; it started raining the second day and never stopped; our apartment didn't have hot water (AGAIN); our toilet stopped up and we had to troop down two flights to use the security guard's bathroom; when the toilet wasn't stopped up it leaked and flooded the bathroom floor; the stove fell on Marina and practically showered boiling water on her; it rained some more; our Portuguese language class was a bust; we didn't really feel so safe walking around at night; and things were much more expensive than Argentina.
Not that it was all bad. Good things about Rio:
- we got to hang out with Erin, a friend from Stanford down in Rio to work on the social entrepreneurship project, MobileMedia, that I worked on at Stanford. Erin is great and it was really good to see her relax a little bit after her hectic life at Stanford
- it was sunny one day and we sort of went to the beach
- we got to watch the sun rise over Copacabana
- we got to watch surfers at Ipanema
- caipirinhas at the beach were only $2
- we got to go out to a GOOD hip hop club
- after realizing the language school sucked, we got a private tutor named Camila who was awesome and taught us a lot
- we had all-you-can-eat sushi again (apparently this is normal in Latin American ... the sushi places in the States should freakin' catch up), which was *really yummy.* They gave you little cards and you filled out what you wanted and you could do that over and over and over.
Other interesting experiences:
- I opted not to go, but Marina and Erin visited Help, a nightclub practically next door to our apartment which is known as a hangout for high-class Brazilian prostitutes and the wealthy foreign businessmen who buy their services. It's known as Help, as in Help Me Get A Hooker.
- the first day in our language class we met two American boys, one who was working at a hostel in Rio and another who was planning to stay a few months to hang out. So right away we knew people and they invited us out, which was good because we were much more comfortable going out with boys.
- we went to Casa Rosa, a very cool club that had 2 different rooms and 2 outside bars. They had DJ-ed music in one and forro, a type of Brazilian music, in another. Forro is actually based on the English phrase "for all", because there used to be American army bases in Brazil. And when they had parties, the GIs would put up signs advertising the dances, saying they were "for all!" Now it has evolved into its own type of music and dance (similar to salsa but more low-key, less showy).
- we watched a lot of TV, which was actually quite relaxing. Our favorites were Sex & the City, Lost, and Alias.
Rio was not a total bust, but it was not as fun as anticipated - much due to the weather. A beach town when it's rainy and gray and windy is not so exciting. So instead of sticking it out and hoping things would get better, we changed our flight and came back to Buenos Aires! We love it here. After a mini-debacle with the apartment check-in, we are in a FANTABULOUS new place. It's the best location yet, barely blocks from all the action in Palermo Viejo (for the previous Bs.As. ladies, we're at Uriarte & Honduras which is 2 blocks from Plaza Serrano and 6 blocks from Plaza Palermo Viejo), on the 13th floor with a MAGNIFICENT view of the city. The apt. is small but has a great layout so it seems big, super cute decorations and a stocked kitchen, and ... (drumroll please) ACTUAL HOT WATER! It's been so long I almost forgot what it feels like! (Not.) And we have a bathtub! Life is good. Plus last night we had a great time going out to a bar for happy hour and then one of our favorite restaurants yet. It's called El Último Beso (the last kiss) and it's all white, with fancy framed decorations of people kissing and a great skylight with vines hanging and little angel fountains. And there's a real bubble bath in the bathroom! It's very sweet, and the chocolate fondue was to-die-for. And all for only $15 each. :) Plus the weather here is stunning right now - crisp, bright days which lead to long afternoons stretching into velvety evenings, all under clear and cheerful Argentinan skies.
Language spot:
Portuguese! Different from Spanish, and here's how:
• You never say yes. The word yes (sim) exists, but you rarely, if ever, use it. Conversations go more like this:
A: Você é carioca? (Are you from Rio?)
B: Sou. (I am.)
A: Vocês 'tan na praia? (Are you guys at the beach?)
B: Não 'tamos. (We're not.)
A: Ela joga futbol? (Does she play football?)
B: Joga. (She plays.)
So the hardest thing for Spanish speakers (after pronunciation) is to stop saying si all the time.
• Articles: la is a and el is o. La playa = a praia; el restaurante = o restaurante
• Pronunciation: This will be fun. For those of you who speak Spanish, check this out:
portuguese (spanish): pronunciation
onde (donde): onjee
gostar (gostar): goshtah
portugues (portugés): pohtoogeish
