Argentina

After the incredibly long trip to get here, I finally arrived in Buenos Aires at 7 in the morning, completely tired and it was the middle of a thunderstorm. I figured I had to wait until 1 for IES to pick me up, but they came when my flight arrived to take me to my departamento, on Avenida Cabildo. I was a little nervous about the whole language thing, let alone the size of the city, but after meeting my host mother and a few days of exploring, it's getting easier, though I have this feeling I'll never fully understand the colectivos (the insanely complicated bus system). Yesterday I took the Subte (subway) to la Plaza de Mayo, where the presidential palace and other governmental buildings are, it was beautiful and walking through the streets was great.

I've gone out twice now with other students from di Tella, Friday night we just went to a few restaurants, but last night 5 of us went to el Festival de la Cerveza where we met some Argentines and had a pretty good time. The whole not getting home until 4 in the morning, and being the first ones to leave a bar still is strange to me but I think I'll adjust. I'm going to have to take siestas in the afternoon I think, since it looks like I'll have class at 8 three days a week.

Classes start Monday, but the exchange students just sit in on whatever classes they want until the 13th when we register. So far, I'm thinking I'll take Money and Banking, History of Economic Thought and Philosophical Problems, but who knows. Monday I'm going to part of the orientation for IES to find places to use wireless and to look for a new cellphone that costs more like 40 pesos instead of 40 cents a minute. Anyways, the adjustment is going to take some time, but everything is going great so far. Chao.