Leaving the Big City

Today Brian and I are packing for our big move to El Hoyo, Argentina-- a rural area in Patagonia, at the foot of the Andes Mountains. We got involved with an organization called WWOOF last month,  that helps people find farms around the world that they'd like to volunteer on. The place we're are moving to is a 15 organic ha organic farm that sustains an herb garden, walnut orchard, fruit tree orchard, and some other ...things. The plan is to help the owners with their gardening, fruit harvesting, building, and cooking, while not forgetting to participate in the monthly circle dances. Yeah... I PROMISE to put up pictures as soon as I take them. Oh, and free Kool-Aid at these dances too, i guess. Awesome. 

Last friday was my last day at work, and it was pretty tough saying goodbye to my students. Some of them turned into friends that I just happened to get paid to hang out with, so leaving them was pretty tough. Two of my favorites let me borrow their tent and sleeping bag for my trip so i wouldn't have to buy one. Did i mention that I will be sleeping in a two person tent for 5 weeks? Brian is going to stay for 3 extra weeks, while I meet up with my brother in Chile for another big adventure. If all goes to plan Andrew and I going to Easter Island for 5 days, then trekking around Chile, Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay before meeting up with my family in Buenos Aires just before Christmas. All six Mazzottas are flying into BA for Holidays!! AHHHHH!! I can't wait. 

More to come. 

Chaos.

Last weekend, Brian and I went to Tigre, a community north of the  city that operates almost completely by and on water. Boats go up and down the river streets, and people get their food, gas, and sometimes their educations, from passing boats. While considering whether or not to take a pricey boat tour of the town, Brian and I noticed a big tour bus pull up to the dock, and watched as passengers filed onto the boat for their next activity. With our heads low, Brian and I jumped in line with the tourists, got our pictures taken, received some delicious treats on board, and saw Tigre for free. After we were positive we weren't going to jail, we started really enjoying the beautiful catamaran ride-- eating and drinking our way all around the little town. While returning to the dock, about an hour an a half later, my happiness came to a quick end as I saw a puppy, floating in the river. Dead. I did not take pictures of it. 

Food poisoning. Yup. Got it last week. I exploded for 32 hours of non-stop volcano fun in both my bathroom and bedroom, and vow never to eat eggs again. Without going into too much detail, I will just say this: the human body is amazing in its effort to reject food. It's ability to rid itself of contents from different sources at the same time is just plain effective. 

Brian and I moved into a new house this week in a neighborhood called Caballito, which means "pony." The house is a 1920's French Style home with hardwood floors, high ceilings, and several terraces outside to read on. We live with a girl from Canada, a guy from the US, and three girls from Buenos Aires. The first night we stayed there, the owner (a 26-year old from Maine, who bought the house to restore as an investment) threw a huge fundraiser for a big volunteer organization here called Help Argentina, which he helps run. We met great people from all over the world, and pretended the party was a housewarming event. Below are two of my favorite/two of the creepiest pictures ever. 

In other news, the pilot that I acted in a few weeks ago got picked up, and they chose me to do the full DVD series. YAY! And if that wasn't cool enough, a representative from a tv show here contacted me about doing an Argentine spin-off of The Office. Obviously this would be low-budget nonsense, but the idea was pretty funny. Both projects sound really fun, but I don't think I will do either. Right now I am reminding myself of the reasons I moved down here, which are do not include being in movies and tv shows, but rather, traveling the country. I am quitting my teaching job in two weeks to begin a spanish-intensive course to prepare for a possible trek out to Patagonia. So a much poorer, but much more spanish Liz is in the works. 

Phone Number!

Yay! I now have a somewhat local phone number! Brian and I signed up for an unlimited phone plan through Skype that lets us make and receive calls from anywhere in the US. It's (845) 605-4555. The number is out of downstate New York, so it costs the price of a regular call. 

This week I saw a really cool South American custom that I think the US should adopt. This Saturday I was reading my book in the park, when I heard a bunch of people behind me start clapping. I looked around and saw a man with a little girl on his shoulders, and  figured it was her birthday or something. More and more people in the park started to turn around and clap, (even though they were completely engulfed in their own conversations and park activities) and then at once the clapping was over. I asked my students the next day what that was about, and they told me that when there is a lost child in the park, an adult will put the kid on their shoulders and start clapping. Everyone here knows the drill, so when people hear one person clapping, they start doing it too until the whole place is doing it. When parents hear clapping they look for their own kids, and if they notice them missing, they can see if he/she is on a pair of shoulders. Really cool. 

 

Week 7

Just when I thought my days (okay, minutes) of fame were over, I was asked  by Jorge Aragon, a photographer here in Argentina, to do a photoshoot! WOO HOO! Mustering up everything I remembered from the 30+ hours of watching America's Next Top Model this spring, I strutted my awkward stuff, and went home with some pretty cool pictures.  Go to www.flickr.com/photos/31204538@N04/?saved=1 if you want to see a few of them.

In an effort to keep his soul safe from the Devil, Brian quit his fancy financial job which apparently too closely resembled the movie Boiler Room, and now is teaching English to bankers at HSBC and American Express. Work, for me, is still going well. It's beginning to be Spring here in Argentina, so I lure my students outside for lessons, and we all talk in the sunshine together. 

The highs and lows of this week, both included animals. The low took place yesterday when I literally walked into a dead pig. I was turning the corner on the way back to my home, and I ran into a pig carcass being brought into a deli. I was upset, the pig was clearly upset...not good. 

The highlight of my week was short and sweet. Well actually, big and furry. Near my favorite cafe I saw the biggest white and gray sheepdog of my life. I swear to God, I could have ridden it home--It must have been over 200 pounds. Nothing like a big ol' furry dog to put a smile on your face.