2009 Adventures

Archive for August, 2009


Tales of a Wayward Finn

Published August 25th, 2009 in Nicaragua | 1 Comment »

What I’ve been up to lately:

Living off of cookies and fruit instead of trying to cook. There’s only so many times a person can eat pasta or scrambled eggs. This morning, I branched out and made french toast.

Making the heartbreaking choice to forgo snowy Patagonia on this trip because hiking is impossible for at least another month. I’ll return when I’m not dependent on fast internet.

Exploring new parts of Buenos Aires, and happily concluding that San Telmo (where I live) is my favorite barrio.

Getting the itch to move on from Latin America.

Running! Who wants to do a 5K with me?

Discovering that being sweaty and generally unkempt does nothing to stop the harassment. It may actually make it worse…

Neglecting this blog. In my defense, this type of travel is less blog-friendly than my SE Asia/Nepal/Italy adventures.

Ignoring my new camera in favor of my beat-up old Canon. I love Canon, and my new Sony is all complicated…and I left the manual in Michigan.

Tracking Lucy around Europe and hoping to cross paths in Morocco/Spain/Ireland later this fall. Fingers crossed!

Changing my Thanksgiving vacation plans, to the amusement/dismay of Corey and Dee. Three times, now. Anyone else up for a week in Europe with us?

Realizing that a month is an awkward amount of time in one place…after two weeks, you’re touristed out, but you can’t join longer-term activities. I’m in limbo.

Seeing El Fantasma de la Opera for the fourth time, and being smug at how much more I understand in comparison to the first time!

Taking precisely one Spanish lesson before quitting because the teacher was crap, the lesson was in a dirty apartment, and there were cats all over the place. I hate cats, and I’m allergic.

Dreaming (drooling) of a real grocery store and a microwave. Ah, what I wouldn’t give for a good frozen pizza or a Lean Pocket. .

Thinking about grad school applications and the GRE. I wonder if I can outsource applications… :)

And last, but certainly not least, buying a flight to South Africa. South Africa!! It was such an amazing deal that I couldn’t pass it up ($500 one way). I arrive in Cape Town next week.  That’s another continent and another country…

Ay, que linda

Published August 18th, 2009 in Buenos Aires | 3 Comments »

With each passing day, I grow more irritated with Latin American men.

Yes, it’s time to revisit that theme.

Today was a prime example of one of “those” days. I left my apartment in search of sushi and fresh mozzarella (e.g., nirvana), and headed for the nearest subway stop. As I walked along, about 75% percent of the passing men did the routine “hola, hermosa, preciosa” comment business, which I barely notice any more. I got on the subway, which was packed, and a man was standing in front of where I sat. After a moment, I glanced up and saw that he was staring down at me. I looked away but could still feel his creepy stare. After another minute of this, I treated him to a specialty irritated glare. A full 30 seconds had no effect whatsoever–he actually leaned in closer!–so I got up and pushed though the crowd to get away because he was making me so uncomfortable.

I got off near beautiful Recoleta–my second favorite area of the city next to San Telmo–and strolled along, enjoying the gorgeous day and blessed lack of neon signs. It’s a lovely place, full of doormen and high-end shops. The men there are more educated and…classier, I suppose, so I usually enjoy the peace of walking without haraassment. Today, however, while waiting for a light, I noticed that a man next to me was standing too close. I looked over, and he blatantly looked me up and down and then, very aggressively, met my eyes and stepped closer. Another of the super-bitch stares and a quiet but angry “back off, fu$*er” made him step away, muttering rude things in Spanish.

Then, just to top things off, one of the doorman in Recoleta who was standing inside actually knocked on the glass to get my attention as I passed by, since I couldn’t hear his comments. UGH.

Now, lest you think I’m getting a big head, keep in mind that men here are not discriminating when it comes to harassing women. They don’t care what you look like–they’ll do their rude thing to anyone. But they reserve the biggest assault for blondes because we’re super freaks in a sea of dark hair. They see my head coming from blocks away, and have all that time to work up their best material.

It’s like living in a country where EVERY MAN is a creepy construction worker. Wow. I love Latin America, but it’s beginning to wear on my nerves.

(Not to worry, I love Buenos Aires and I’m perfectly safe. Just needed the opportunity to vent.)

:)

Uruguay

Published August 16th, 2009 in Nicaragua | 2 Comments »

I went to Colonia, Uruguay for the weekend–it’s a short ferry ride away from Buenos Aires–and have now checked off country #25 on the list of all the countries in the world! I have to say, that stamp on my passport was more exciting than Uruguay itself. Depending on whose list you consult, that could mean I’ve been to 1/4 of the world’s countries. So, despite the freezing weather and rain, a successful trip.

http://picasaweb.google.com/eekauppi/Uruguay?feat=directlink‘

uruguay

Photos from MTU Choir Visit

Published August 11th, 2009 in Buenos Aires | No Comments »

I managed to take a few (20) photos during the choir’s visit. Forgive the grainy quality of many of them–I didn’t want to use a flash during rehearsals. :)

http://picasaweb.google.com/eekauppi/MTUChoirInBsAs?feat=directlink

MTU Choir in BsAs

Choirs and concerts

Published August 10th, 2009 in Buenos Aires | 1 Comment »

Two weeks in Buenos Aires, one blog post, and two photo galleries. Pathetic, I know. So for today, a quickie post while I’m on a lunch break from work.

The Michigan Tech concert choir, who I’ve been singing with off and on for the past six years, is on a two-week tour of Argentina and Chile. They began the tour in Buenos Aires last week, so I got to spend a few days rehearsing and performing with them here in the city. It was lovely to see everyone and meet alumni/friends/choir members I didn’t know. Another perk? Being able to speak at my normal rapid rate–a luxury when everyone you know speaks English as a second language. We had a fantastic workshop with Argentine composer/arranger Oscar Escalada, who was delightful. And forgiving, even though we butchered one of his pieces during our concert. (If only I sounded as cute speaking Spanish as he did speaking English.)  Speaking of the concert–it was in a church that might just be the most stunning place I’ve performed in to date. I’ll post photos/video later today.

And after I spent all week telling the choir that I was going to stick around BA until Christmas…I’ve changed my mind. (You’re all surprised, I know.) Thinking about the places the choir is going–Rosario, Mendoza, Chile–got me thinking about the places I need to visit, which prompted a massive internet search for apartments in a new city. I’m really digging the idea of Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world, but I’m not having any luck with the apartment search there. Bariloche is next on my list.

Until then, I have two more weeks in Buenos Aires. I love the city–it’d be an excellent place for a more permanent relocation, if I was considering such a thing. (I’m not.) Goal for this week? Find a Spanish school.

A day among the dead

Published August 2nd, 2009 in Buenos Aires | 1 Comment »

I spent part of the afternoon strolling around in the Recoleta cemetary, where Evita is buried among Buenos Aires’ wealthy. Some photos:

http://picasaweb.google.com/eekauppi/Buenos_aires3?feat=directlink

buenos_aires3