La Turistita

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2011-06-04T23:55:00.000-07:00

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General Life Update

2009-09-28T14:43:00.000-07:00

I'm in the sixth week of classes and focused on surviving.
I've been job hunting to no avail. It's a tough market out there and I'm dropping off job applications and resumes right and left.
I'm also looking at Peace Corps and trying to do everything I can right now to be the best candidate once I apply. Which means that I've been volunteering at a local garden once a week! I really like it so far. It's called Spiral Gardens Community Food Security Program and it seems like an amazing program. I'm still learning the ins and outs.
Balancing an active social life and study regime is still one of my top priorities of the moment and it's keeping my hands full.

Here's a recent picture from a trip I took where I visited friends in SLO. It was great to be with my girls.

No More Shampooing

2009-09-28T14:32:00.000-07:00

I've decided to restart my blogging with a project. After reading other blogs and websites, I have decided that I will no longer use shampoo or conditioner in my hair. Instead, I'll use a baking soda and apple cider vinegar regiment a couple of times a week until my hair's own oils are able to care for my hair. Am I crazy? Very possibly. But everyone has hobbies. Some knit, others cook, I don't wash my hair.

Like I said, this will be an experiment.
So here is the state of my hair right now.
It's always very frizzy and is confused in a no man's land of neither straight nor curly. I'm hoping as I get more natural and less harsh, my hair will start to get a natural wave. As of now, I am wearing my hair up to hide the greasies.
This is all I will be using for (at least) the next month or two.

LET THE GREAT EXPERIMENT BEGIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!

30 Rock

2009-04-02T21:48:00.000-07:00

the last few days I've been watching 30 rock online. Yes, illegally. The thing is I always have to start things from the beginning. It doesn't even come close to Arrested Development, but it's a good filler for now.
The show makes me want to go around telling "yo mama" jokes and telling everyone to "suck it".

neon digits

2009-04-02T21:44:00.000-07:00

I have some totally wicked nail polish colors. My favorites are hot pink, electric blue, neon orange, and zingy purple. The hardest part is choosing which colors to use.
The idea is to get all of this out of my system before I have to become an adult, get a real job, and wear boring neutral-toned nail polishes. Oh the humanity

seriously people, stop breaking in!!!!

2009-04-02T21:35:00.001-07:00

Here I am, being a good girl and doing my homework. I hear noise coming from our door as if someone was opening the locks. Only it goes on for a while. Me and a roommate go down the stairs to see whats up. She turns on the porch light and then looks through the peephole only to see no one outside any longer. And it wasn't one of my roommates trying to get in! Ugh, shivers.

Also, I got to call 911 late last night for the first time ever because I saw two people decked out in black coats and pants casing all the cars down my street while holding a brick. I watched from my window as they would duck behind cars, run across the street, and look in all the windows. Little did they know that big brother was watching. Stupid cops took forever to come and by the time they did, the two hoodlums had already gone down another street. I am literally becoming the old, paranoid neighbor who stares out her window and calls the cops on everyone. Ok, not yet. But pretty soon I will be. AND WITH GOOD REASON!

Seriously, leave me alone and leave my stuff alone!!!! This ain't Oakland. Geez.

other hazards...

2009-04-02T21:28:00.000-07:00

I also passed a bunch of old people cars

7 full fledged armored vehicles complete with canons and what not. I think these pictures might be illegal, so don't show any government officials.

Pretty wild flowers

And an angry dust storm that made it very hard to see for a good minute

Since I don't have a working radio or cd player, these sights kept me on my toes and entertained.

road hazards

2009-04-02T21:15:00.000-07:00

When I was driving home from Spring Break, I was shocked at how many tumble weeds I was passing on the freeway. There was a mighty wind that day, and these things were popping up right and left threatening to take me down. It was a bit like frogger, only not. So I started taking pictures to keep myself entertained. Sadly, every time I saw a tumble weed coming towards me, by the time I could aim the camera and push the button, they flew past me. These were are all that remain from dangerous journey...

Here’s one coming down the middle of the freeway

If you look in the left of the picture, you can see a big one passing by. It was huge!

Here are some chilling on the side of the road

A small one tumbling towards me

why hello spring

2009-03-30T14:25:00.001-07:00

spring has come and the sun is out. this all means that it's time to bust out the floral dresses and listen to happy, sugary sweet songs. Finally.

spring break in a nut shell

2009-03-28T14:45:00.000-07:00

I have had a lot of research to work on this week. So basically I've holed myself up into my small town house to focus. Of course, this usually means I end up watching the home and garden channel instead of papers. My week has also been spent avoiding public places like the grocery store, churches, and Starbuck's. I did a decent job I guess of avoiding people.
Last night my parents and I went to dinner in Fresno, so I'm full of chinese goodness.

Back to research. yay.

everybody dance

2009-03-20T11:50:00.000-07:00

I hope that the montage of my life would include at least one Devendra Banhart song.
This is one of those things where I can't possibly understand why the rest of the world isn't obsessed with this man as much as I am....

He is easily my "celebrity" crush. Hands down.

typical

2009-03-19T22:13:00.000-07:00

The other day, Liz and I were chilling in our house when we heard a ruckus coming from outside our house. We went on the balcony to find a parade going down the street. Since things like this aren't uncommon in Berkeley, we thought it was just your typical, every day parade. It wasn't until I went back inside that I realized it was Mardi Gras that day. I tried to snap some pictures.

2009-03-19T22:01:00.000-07:00

Church Winter Retreat. (pretty long ago)

Juli came up for Valentine's weekend. We had a whole day of fun in San Francisco including a night of sushi and sake bombing.

I realized that mini alcohols are the cutest things ever. Then I fell in love with them.

I tried to take cool house pictures and failed.

This is my new hero.

Housemates

2009-03-19T21:47:00.001-07:00

In case you were wondering, these are all of my housemates.
We have fun.

Long Over-Due Pics

2009-03-19T21:22:00.000-07:00

A few pictures from Liz's 21st.
We made sangria and jello shots the night before.
Everything was muy increíble.
I'm officially the last one left....

and this is officially half of Liz's amazing bridesmaids. What can I say? We're pretty cool.

Christina is a great, new friend. Welcome to the gang!

Just a Typical Rainy Day

2009-03-19T21:13:00.000-07:00

The other day I was awed by the beauty of Berkeley's campus on the way to Spanish class.

He Vuelto !!! (I have returned)

2009-03-19T20:51:00.000-07:00

I'm back. It's been too long.
Much has happened, yet not really.
My days have been filled with studying, papers, reading, and no sleep.
Liz's 21st birthday has come and gone.
My car was stolen, recovered, broken, and then fixed.
I met up with my family in Modesto, of all places.
There have been rainy days with scattered sunny ones in between.
If I can just survive tomorrow, I have made it to Spring Break.... Hallelujah.

So my grand plans for Spring Break include summer job coordinating, sleeping in, catching up on political theory reading, and writing a research paper on post-war, state-led development in Argentina. Not exactly the "Girls Gone Wild" spring break that young adults anxiously await, but welcome to Berkeley. And all this to end up with some thankless, lack-luster, low paying NGO job. I guess it's all for the cause.

Right now, I'm absolutely intoxicated with this song. I think it's hauntingly sad, sweet, and sexy all at the same time.

Along the same lines, albeit much sadder...

My goal is to get in the blogging mood yet again. So here's to hoping....

Eulogy to My Car

2009-02-25T20:53:00.000-08:00

Last night, my car was stolen. I recently just said goodbye to the cop who filled out the police report for me. My car and I have had many good times together, so at this point, I'd like to remember some of the good memories.....

When I first bought you, I remember thinking how ugly your wood laminate was in the interior. But I grew to love that fake, shiny oak.

The first time I drove you out of town, I was with my sister. We went to a nearby city for some fun. In the Starbucks parking lot, I hit a parked car while trying to park. Yes, I cannot believe I just admitted to that. I apologize again. Ever since, I have been the most paranoid person I've ever met when it comes to parking. I am proud to say that we have never had any contact with another car after that horrible night.

From day 1, your passenger window loved to annoy me. I never knew when it would decide to stop working. It was always the worst moments when you decided not to roll back up. Countless rainy nights were spent with me freaking out and trying to manually pull the window back up.

One of the most endearing qualities about you that I will never forget, was the sound your antenna made as it went up and down. Everyone who has ever ridden in you will always remember that. Yes, it often sounded like gunshots, but it made you stand out.

You never had a CD player, but I heard many songs I liked on the radio because of you. Your dashboard lights also didn't work unless you fidgeted with a knob. We never really knew how fast we were driving at night because of you.

Every time it rained, you smelled like old milk on the inside, but I still loved you.

You were quirky, but aren't we all?

So many memories lie with you...
My first kiss was leaning against you. My first road trips were with you and my closest friends. I moved to my first apartment in you with all of my belongings lovingly stowed away in your trunk. I have singed in you, danced in you, cried in you, and laughed in you. We have seen many new walks of life together.

My love: I bought you. I loved you. I worked hard summers to own you. I learned how to drive in you.
We saw cities and countryside together. San Francisco and LA. Beaches and mountains. You were always there for me. You hugged me close and protected me when I ventured away from home. I just wish I was there for you last night when you needed me most.
You made me happy. You were the best car a young girl could have hoped for. I really hope we can see each other again soon in this life.

(I kid you not, I just shed my first tear right now typing this.)
Best wishes and come back to me soon.

Your loving owner...

2009-02-21T22:27:00.000-08:00

It's a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

2009-02-21T17:30:00.000-08:00

And this is my favorite neighbor.

It's usually parked right outside our house and it makes me smile every day. They should change the names from smart cars to happy cars. Sometimes squirrels make good neighbors too.

Coke Laden Adventures

2009-02-19T17:05:00.000-08:00

told a la comics style.

I was walking down Telegraph today. On every corner, there were kind people handing out Coke Zero samples. I said no to the first 3 groups, but was worn down by the fourth. So I got one and took it home.

I wondered to myself, "What is this Coke Zero"? After reading the catchy exterior of the svelte black can, I discovered that this miraculous sugary drink has zero calories. So I skeptically looked at the ingredient list.

I was worried after seeing ingredients like "Acesulfame Potassium" and "Phenylketonurics".

Regardless, I took a sip. Actually, I drank the whole thing because I was uncharacteristically thirsty today. For a zero calorie drink, it has my stamp of approval. The taste was pretty swell considering this stuff is practically good for you (joking by the way).

Yet it left me wondering...
Would I rather drink a cola chock full of calories and ingredients I can pronounce, or one with no calories and a similar taste? I'm sure in 20 years I'll be able to give a good answer after I have grown extra limbs and appendages from all this yummy Acesulfame.

My New / Old Hero

2009-02-17T20:17:00.000-08:00

Lightnin' Hopkins is my new love

"People have learned how to strum a guitar, but they don't have the soul. They don't feel it from the heart. It hurts me. I'm killin' myself to tell them how it is."

Sick and Tired of being Sick and Tired

2009-02-17T20:01:00.000-08:00

but I think I'm getting better.
It feels like it's been raining here forever. The only good thing about miserable rain is being able to laugh at others' expenses.

For example, on my way to class, there was this gangster, manly guy coming towards me on the sidewalk. We both approached a rather large puddle at the same time. I watched as he slowed down his cool swagger, assessed the situation, pulled up his baggy pants, did a little running start, and then cleared the puddle. He hopped over it more like a 5 year old and less like a man. I smiled on the inside.
I also mocked every Californian I passed in flip flops today. I saw three. I mean come on. It rained all day and was freezing. They deserve to be sick, not me.

lets jam

2009-02-12T19:59:00.000-08:00

last sunday at church, this went down.
sorry the quality is so bad. I was up in the balcony and had to zoom

and ps
this is my song of the day

the weekend is so colse

2009-02-12T19:43:00.000-08:00

so i just ate a yummy frozen pizza from Trader Joe's that had enough calories to kill me in my sleep. I have a paper for my film class and my thesis for another class due tomorrow. So obviously, I'm not working on either.

About a week ago, I met this girl who works at the Pete's coffee near my house. She mentioned this creepy clown that has been walking the streets at night in Berkeley. I so did not believe her, until I saw the guy in Pete's today. He dresses in all black and looks super scary. I'd say he's a goth/hobo/mime combination. He does the whole clown face paint thing, but with a morbid twist. It was all dark and unnerving. The best part was that he was just sipping on his coffee inside the cafe and the horde of people inside didn't give him the time of day. For the millionth time, I said to myself "I love Berkeley."

However, I am a little uneasy about the thought of running in to him at dark. I'm not one to be scared of clowns, but this guy is a different story. shudders.(that's not him, but you get the idea)

Hello Lover

2009-02-07T12:33:00.000-08:00

So I've never been big on shoes, but when I first saw these, I knew I had found love. to this day, I still love them with a passion. Black heels with a flower heel. Is there anything better?

Keeping with the Theme

2009-02-06T00:37:00.000-08:00

So I remember thinking how ghetto Berkeley was last night, and today just made me feel more confident about my claim.
This afternoon I went on a Target run. I usually only drive about once a week, so I'm never sure what type of shenanigans go on with my car as it sits parked outside.

Well, when I got to my car, something seemed off. I turned on the radio, and there was a silent delay that is usually filled with an infamous clicking sound that comes from my radio antenna. This noise is what has defined my car for the last 3 years. But it was nowhere to be found. So I got out of the car and found this....
So somewhere, my poor antenna is out there with some ghetto stranger. honestly, who steals radio antennas? And on top of that, full on snaps them off? I'm just really grateful nothing worse was done to my poor car.

Mid Week Drama

2009-02-04T22:45:00.001-08:00

So after I finished my spin class at our gym, I was walking home around 7:30 tonight. As I was a block away from the house, I could see blue lights flashing. Half a block closer, and I could see tons of red and blue lights. By the time I reached the corner of our intersection, I could see cops in every direction. My housemates and I live on a busy corner near 2 sketchy streets in Berkeley.

Anyways, there were at LEAST 10 cop cars surrounding our house, and 2 more at every intersection a block away from our place. They were EVERYWHERE. Cops on bikes and on foot were patrolling our street. I started freaking out because I thought something happened to one of my roommates. So I went up to one of the police officers and asked what was going on, explaining that I live in the house that they were surrounding. He said that there was a theft in the house next door and to go inside and lock our doors. Once I got inside, I got more of the story from 2 frightened roommates.

So apparently, some guy broke into a house and ran out with a plasma tv. He then escaped into our side yard. haha. Liz said she was in the kitchen when she heard a commotion on our outside staircase. She looked out the window to find a cop looking in. He said not to worry, because they had contained the culprit.

Once I got upstairs, the 3 of us watched out our window and got a free 15 minutes of entertainment as the cops had witnesses confirm the culprit, flashed bright lights onto the scene of the crime, and held up traffic for blocks. Fire engines and an ambulance even showed up. It was a pretty big deal.

All I have to say is, true story.

I'm Allergic to Cleanliness

2009-02-02T21:51:00.001-08:00

so tonight I decided to do an all out facial because lately, my stupid face won't clear up. and because I'm avoiding my Spanish paper.
I put on this facial mask that belongs to one of the girls in the house and moments later, my face started to burn. But the back of the bottle says that it should cause tingling, so I figured I'm just a baby and I let it sit for about 3 minutes until I couldn't take it much longer. I rinsed it off and my whole face had turned bright red. The best part was that you could clearly see where I had applied more cream. I google imaged "allergic reaction" and found this gem.Even though this is NOT what my face looks like, it gives an accurate sentiment. Even now, over an hour after the event, my face is still reddish. epic fail.

slow like honey, heavy with mood

2009-02-02T16:24:00.000-08:00

that's pretty much how I feel. I'm listening to Fiona Apple, Jason Mraz, and Cat Power, baking cupcakes, and thinking about how much I really don't want to start the 3 papers I have to work on tonight.

at least one corner is clean

2009-02-01T19:24:00.000-08:00

so even though we're only two weeks deep in school, our lives (room) have gotten messy.
Yet my favorite corner has remained girly and clean.I also like that we have an accumulating art corner. I must live with an artist for the rest of my life.

The gnats are conspiring

2009-02-01T19:16:00.001-08:00

Over the past couple of weeks, there has been a growing gnat and fly infestation in our bathroom. In attempt to rile up my fellow house compatriots, I wrote an inspirational banner (lame note). I was going for a King Leonidas / Sparta theme.

College Life

2009-02-01T18:19:00.001-08:00

I fear what lurks in the back, dark corner of our house's communal fridge.

Silent Films

2009-01-28T20:28:00.000-08:00

I'm in a Film class and right now we're covering the silent era. Which meant that today we had our very own pianist to play mood music to go along with the movies. I'm not sure why, but I found the situation silly. So I snuck a picture.

The best part was how pretentious all of the art students, professor, and pianist were. It was something out of a movie.

campus creepers

2009-01-26T20:26:00.000-08:00

today when i was walking home from class, I decided to take an obscure path home. On this shady and lonely walk, Oski came towards me.
The best part of the encounter was that we just stared at each other as we walked directly towards each other on the same path. I was a little speechless because there was nobody else around and no real reason why Oski would be on a strange corner of the campus.
good thing our mascot isn't really creepy.

2009-01-22T22:02:00.000-08:00

The shoe garden I promised.

trust me, there were more than what shows in the picture.

First Trip to Berkeley Bowl

2009-01-22T13:40:00.000-08:00

I moved in about a week ago to my new apartment. Saturday, I decided to visit the famous Berkeley Bowl to do some grocery shopping.
Now, the 'Bowl is famous for a few reasons.
1. They have a HUGE selection of produce and natural products
2. The prices are pretty low for the quality of their food
3. The place is teeming with hippies and environmentalists
4. It is the WORST place to go on a weekend evening

Since I didn't know about number 4 before going, I had the worst shopping experience of my life. I went on a Saturday around 5pm thinking that no one would be there around dinner. I also drove there. Upon arrival, I waited 15 minutes in the parking lot fighting over a spot with a line of eager hybrids. I am so thankful that I brought a handful of canvas bags there because I didn't see anyone who didn't. The store was filled to the max with aggressive, angry, and hungry Berkeley veterans. I wish I could describe the place better, but it only brings back horrible memories. After an hour and a half, and a couple weeks worth of groceries, I was able to leave the store.

Read Where the Nuts Are Off the Shelf for a great description of the place.

I'm Back

2009-01-22T13:30:00.000-08:00

It's been a while.
due to a handful of demanding classes this semester, I'm not sure if I'll be able to continue blogging. Besides, my days will mostly be filled with hours of class and homework.

My first day back to "real" school has come and gone. It was beautiful and sunny which was just what I needed for a welcome back. In Berkeley fashion, yesterday and today have been sadly gray and rainy.
My new housemates are a lot of fun and we've already begun gym outings; a must for unmotivated students like myself. I already have 1 spin class and 1 pilates class under my belt. My hope is that that belt will start to shrink after a few weeks. We'll see what happens.

My goal now is to daily mention one interesting thing I see in Berkeley or a thought that I have.
So..... Yesterday, I was talking to a friend on my cell when I noticed a shoe garden growing outside one of my classes. I'll post pictures later when I get home.

she bangs

2008-12-12T17:09:00.000-08:00

the other day i played in front of the mirror with my hair. i was thinking that i wanted bangs, but i'm sure if i actually cut them, i would hate myself for it two days later. and they're so annoying to grow out.
however, my mom said that bangs would cover my big forehead. thanks mom.

2008-12-12T16:53:00.000-08:00

Owls Sophie and Olivia

More owls Humphrey and Geoffrey
Yes, I already named them

I also got some old moccasins and a blue rain coat covered in white ducks.
I love it all.

estate sales: bittersweet fun

2008-12-12T15:56:00.000-08:00

My mother found a cool estate sale in town chock-full of amazing animal figurines, old lady clothes, and hand knit treasures. Amazing!
My mom paid for a box full of treasures. Kelsey's all jealous because my mother, apparently, doesn't ever buy her things. This of course, is a figment of her jealous imagination.
My new treasures are as follows...

Owl coasters and 70s canisters
cutest owl mug ever
bird trivet
crocheted turtle hot plates

2008-12-06T01:31:00.000-08:00

I was born two generations too late.

they're picking my brain i tell ya

2008-12-06T00:48:00.000-08:00

I always (ok, sometimes) come up with great ideas for inventions. Well, one of my best inventions was thought of while freezing in a high school classroom.
You see, I hate central valley winters. I'm always cold. I hate being cold. Being cold is a horrible feeling. Freezing to death is right up there with drowning to death on my list of least favorite ways to die. And not only does it drop below freezing here, but we don't get snow to make it worth it.
So my answer was to make pants with a heated lining inside, much like a hot blanket. You would have a slim pocket controller with a few different power settings. You could toast your tush! Haha, in fact .... you could even call them (drum roll)
"Tushie toasters"
that just came to me.

Imagine..... walking around a dreary city being secretly warmed by your own, personal, traveling heater. It's genius I tell you.Great minds think alike?

I have Purpose!

2008-12-06T00:16:00.000-08:00

I've been so blessed to find places to help out. I now volunteer at KCAPS weekly to answer phones, and I volunteer at my church's office. I've got two days under my belt.
I have been very fortunate to work with Olivia, my new favorite person. We're currently decorating Christmas trees around the church and organizing the church program to give gifts to struggling families around Kingsburg.
As much as Kingsburg bores me, I have never heard of a community that jumps in to help out others more than I've seen here. (I'm getting sappy now). But really, we're the little town that could. It's amazing to see how much everyone contributes.
I love helping out, but I still am not making money.

Plastic Tree Heaven

2008-12-03T18:12:00.000-08:00

I have my heart set on a pink christmas tree. a big, retro pink tree.
I'm looking all over the internet, but I really don't want to spend much money on one... actually I can't spend anything on one right now.
Still, I can dream.
My tree would be happy and pink, and covered in snowflake ornaments. Then I could collect the ornaments over time.

My poor future house is going to have painful identity crises. I wonder if I'll ever be able to unify everything into one decorating scheme / theme.

First Days of December

2008-12-03T16:23:00.000-08:00

"Oh the weather outside is ..."
Ugly. Gray. Cold. Foggy. Depressing.

I don't want to leave the house because of this, but I hate being inside all day.
Yesterday I went shopping with my grandma for Christmas. We visited Anthropologie, Sur La Table, and Lucky Jeans. I really needed new jeans, hence our trip.
I tried to sign up for classes when I got home, but of course, one of the classes I wanted has a full waiting list, so we'll see what happens.

A little while ago I made a paper chain counting the days until Liana is back in town.
By my count, I have 17 more days to go.

I'm trying to think of a way to spend my time for the next couple of weeks. I think tomorrow I'm going to see if I can help around town and volunteer somewhere. The goal is to find somewhere to volunteer where I can ride my bike there and save on gas money. Which basically means anywhere in town. haha.

I'm a horrible person

2008-11-30T19:28:00.000-08:00

I need to get back into the swing of this. The thing is, once I stop taking pictures, I stop blogging.
I've been up to a lot, so here's a brief overview.
I went to Lissa's wedding last night which was nice to go and be able to see everyone.
I had a lovely Thanksgiving dinner at my grandparents.
I went up to Berkeley and visited with all of my amazing New Church friends.
I grudgingly returned home after having 2 Thanksgiving dinners there(which gave me a grand total of 4 for this season).
Juli and I somehow went to Starbucks three times in 2 days (because Kingsburg is the most diverse and fascinating place in this entire world). At least we biked there the first time.
Let's see what else.
Oh, I exhausted my job searching efforts. No one is hiring and I have no money. I have officially said "I have no money" at least a dozen times every single day. I really need a job.
My mom's birthday came and went. My family went to Cheesecake Factory to celebrate.
I also babysat for my adorable cousin, Jack.

I believe that's the gist of everything. My family got cable tv while I was gone so now I'm hooked to the History Channel. I could watch it all day.

Last thought: I think I will go crazy if I stay in Kingsburg much longer, but I can't leave because I have no money (that probably meets my daily quota). If I was slightly lamer, I would sit here and feel sorry for my poor (literally) self.

Here's some pictures from the wedding. Congrats Lissa and Corey!

A Week with the Family in Buenos Aires

2008-11-14T18:21:00.001-08:00

I'm now at home, after a LOT of traveling. I'm completely over-whelmed by how far behind I'm in blogging. If I feel up to it, I'll share more personal stories tomorrow. Instead, I just posted up pictures showing some stuff we did.

Our week was filled with family bickering, lots of taxi rides, and some genuine fun. Haha. It just feels nice to have it all over.

Hopefully I can add more tomorrow.

Last Day in the City

2008-11-14T18:17:00.000-08:00

Our last day was spent strolling around El Centro where we went to Plaza de Mayo, El Obelisco, and The Botanical Garden. We also had our last meal in the city at Mc Donald’s. This was obviously against my wishes and to my sister’s, Korey.

2008-11-14T18:15:00.000-08:00

Puerto Madero

2008-11-14T18:11:00.000-08:00

For our last night in Buenos Aires, we went to the trendy Puerto Madero. We walked the bridge, and strolled the area eating ice cream. We also had a fabulous Parilla dinner.

Iguazu

2008-11-14T18:08:00.001-08:00

We flew to Iguazu falls for two days and walked the several paths. There were several small bug stories, including large mosquitoes and one scurrying cockroach in our hotel room. I think that all in all, everyone enjoyed the tropical trip. We didn’t see any monkeys, but there was a beautiful toucan and several coatis.

2008-11-14T18:05:00.000-08:00

2008-11-14T18:03:00.000-08:00

2008-11-14T18:00:00.000-08:00

2008-11-14T17:54:00.000-08:00

Floralis

2008-11-14T17:49:00.000-08:00

After Recoleta Fair and Cemetery, we wandered over to the giant flower for pictures.

Recoleta

2008-11-14T17:47:00.001-08:00

We went to the cemetery in Recoleta and my family were awed at the serene beauty. After, we visited the cathedral there and shopped around the huge fair.

2008-11-14T17:44:00.000-08:00

2008-11-14T16:46:00.000-08:00

melting

2008-11-05T19:29:00.000-08:00

It's 1:30 in the morning, 80 degrees out (probably hotter since I'm 8 stories up), and 45% humidity right now. There's no breeze and I'm convinced I will melt. This doesn't sound bad, but it is when you don't have air conditioning, and the heat is just collecting in your room.
There is no way I will be able to fall asleep tonight for two reasons. First, I'm miserably hot. Second, I'm scared mutant cockroaches will eat me. I'm thoroughly convinced that they are building a rebel army to come and avenge their buddy's ugly death in my room. Cockroaches are much smarter than we suspect.

Today was my last official day of school. Aw man, it feels good to be done. I'm officially 5/8 done with treacherous university work. Tonight, to celebrate, I went out to dinner with Marlow, Brett, and Whitney. We had a fabulous time at a hidden gem of a restaurant. A few hours of dinner, and a couple of bottles of wine later, we we wandered on back home and passed several hopping bars (at 11pm on a Wednesday night).Ah, seriously, I am so hot. I'm going to go into the kitchen and make some kind of cold, wet towel bandage for myself.

a worst nightmare

2008-11-05T01:59:00.000-08:00

It should be said that my biggest ick factor in life is cockroaches. And as fate would have it, they love me. I really, really hate cockroaches. They are the nastiest creatures on this planet.
Sooooooooo...... let's start with the background.
There I am, sleeping. 2 hours before my alarm is set.
I feel something on my arm. Then near my stomach. Then a funny sound. THANK GOD I'm a light sleeper. I wake up to be face to face with the King of cockroaches. His name: Cucaracha vuelva (flying cockroach) and apparently he was a friendly, social bug who woke up my host mom as well.
All I know is that when I woke up and lept out of bed, he fly around and paced between me and my door.
I miraculously escaped and stood in the hallway staring at the crack under my door where the monster was trying to get back under. And there, my friends, is where Monica found me 5 minutes later, frozen, in shock, and barely able to move or talk.
Luckily, she guessed what was wrong, and together we went on a cockroach hunt in my room. She heroically defeated it, yet I am completely unable to fall back asleep.
I'm as flighty as a deer and as paranoid as my mother (hee hee. hi mom)
Honestly, this sucker was huge. If I was a more stable person, I would have gotten a picture of him.
It should be said that Monica's house is very, very clean and the guy somehow got in from outside last night. Since it's been so hot at night, all of the windows and doors are open.
The story has a good end. While I couldn't fall asleep, my best friend called me on Skype. I haven't talked to her in forever since she's studying abroad in Spain and it's hard to catch each other. She's telling me all about Paris right now. I would take on many more cucarachas if it means talking to her.

sorry, but this is necessary

2008-11-04T21:27:00.000-08:00

It's 3:30 am here and I just finished watching Obama's speech.
All I want to say is "God Bless America"
and let's get our reputation back into shape.

I really want to know the results of California's propositions, but I'm tired, so I guess I'll have to wait until morning.
Wow, when I get back to America, we're going to be in a new phase of our history. I'm a little sad that I'm not in Berkeley right now for elections. I heard that cheering can be heard everywhere. I miss that comradeship. Hold on Berkeley, I'm coming soon.

Now I have to go to Peru

2008-11-04T18:37:00.000-08:00

So I've always been a bit fascinated by Peru, and now I just have to go after eating Peruvian food tonight. It was pretty good, but tasted a bit like Chinese food. It could be that we were in the city's Chinatown and everything there is Chinese-ish. However, we ordered our food spicy and it was amazing. All of the waiters were wearing spectacular vests, so of course we needed a picture in them.
I had a great night. The guys we went to dinner with are hilarious and we laughed for hours. Here were two highlights of the night:
1) A guy walked into the restaurant who looked exactly like Jack Nicholson. It was 11 at night, and he never took his sunglasses off. I mean, he WAS jack nicholson. So of course, this led to plenty of movie quoting and impersonations.
2) After Mike mistook my tattoo for Troll Hair, we discovered that it is the perfect setup for a daily Mr. Pineapple Head. I can draw a face to match my mood of the day. Kaitlin drew tonight's. We got plenty of odd looks in the restaurant as we all giggled over my arm on the table. This could be the answer to boring class lectures.
Actually, the similarities are rather scary. I mean of the hair, not so much the art.

It's so sad.... I can't believe I'm leaving soon.

Today and tonight have been fabulous, weather wise. It's almost 1am here, and still hot. I love that I can finally walk around in dresses and sandals no matter the time. The sun is full out, and my rebellious skin is getting the smallest tinge of color. The only bad thing is that it's super hard to fall asleep in this heat. My window's wide open with the intent of catching a breeze, but the only thing I'm catching is lots of flying bugs. My room is a haven for local mosquitoes and giant flies. Right as I fall asleep, one will land on my face and buzz, which without fail, freaks me out.

Tomorrow is my last day of school!!!!!!

I currently have a tab up of CNN election results. I'm a woman obsessed. This is so exciting. I heard about huge parties at some bars in the city where expatriates are watching the results. I think I'll avoid the swarms of Americans for the time being.

Spending time with Cary Grant

2008-11-03T19:03:00.001-08:00

I am so close to being done with classes. One more oral exam, and viola. Since I have nothing to do, I am watching An Affair to Remember. This scene is as wholesome and unrealistic as they come. It's like Sound of Music all over again. Skip to 6:30 to be serenaded into a happy place.

The second time I watched this part, I couldn't stop thinking about how amazing it would be to own one of those pilot hats that one of the boys wears. You know, the kind with the flaps. Anyways, the third time I watched this scene, I was thinking how funny/creepy it would be to be woken up in bed by a chorus of kids. (shudders) Like, if it was all dark and a bunch of kids voices were surrounding you, but you couldn't see them. That's going into my future horror movie.
I leave you with this,
"If you can paint I can walk- anything can happen, right? "

Late Night Park Hopping

2008-11-02T06:45:00.000-08:00

Last night we went on a little adventure around our neighborhood. Now that it's warm, there are lots of people around enjoying the late nights. We walked to a nearby park and got coffees in a cafe that was completely crowded with families getting ice cream (at 11:30 at night). We got weird looks as we pranced around the park taking pictures. I'm so mad at my camera. I put it on red eye setting, and my eyes still always turn out red.
We also headed over to a movie rental store and got "Paris, je t'aime", then watched it in French with Spanish subtitles.

2008-11-02T06:41:00.000-08:00

2008-11-02T06:37:00.000-08:00

Photo en el Colectivo

2008-11-01T13:09:00.000-07:00

After the rally, we figured out where we were and hopped on the colectivo to take us back to our neighborhood. While on, Kaitlin decided to stick her head out of the moving bus. So of course, I took pictures. The bus driver didn't think it was too funny and yelled at us. Yet we did get two good pictures in.

Political Rally

2008-11-01T12:19:00.000-07:00

I almost forgot to write about a crazy adventure Kaitlin and I had a couple of days ago. We headed over to downtown to eat at California Burrito Company. It's a total Chipolte rip-off, but a good change of pace eating wise. There was live jazz music, and it's located off of Florida street, so we walked around after. By the time we were heading home, the subtes had closed. We decided to walk back and hopefully run into a bus line that we recognized.
After some wandering, we hit a full on political rally. They had closed down one of the main streets in the city, and there were thousands of people banging drums, waving flags, and wearing red shirts. From what Kaitlin could make out, it was in support of their president from the 80's. The area was surrounded by police and ambulances, just in case it got too rowdy. Most of the people were looking up at an apartment complex where people were yelling and protesting on the balcony about 8 stories up. It was so random.
It just made me want to stay here more. We zigzagged through the crowd and Kaitlin got a couple pictures.
I really do love the people here.

(the apartment with people rallying)
I don't think the pictures do justice to how many people were there.

Halloween : )

2008-10-31T21:32:00.000-07:00

It's Halloween and I'm home watching Little Mermaid.
Bagh.
Tonight Kaitlin and I went to the movies and watched that new movie with Brad Pitt and George Clooney. It was a bore. Yet we did walk around with gelato and had coffee at our favorite cafe. The night was absolutely beautiful and finally warm. I love it here. I walked around at 12am in a thin dress with the whole city awake and also walking around. Now, one of our host brothers is having a party with loud music so I doubt I'll be able to sleep. Everyone's shouting like a normal Argentine. The whole city is full of people trying to out-talk each other.
Today, Kaitlin and I went shopping in Palermo. I bought a tie dye dress that I'm wearing now, a pink skirt, a crazy vest thing, and a headband and necklace. The day was perfect.
Last night the two of us also walked around shopping in our neighborhood. I bought some jewelry and a funky bird type top that I've been eying the last couple of weeks. Kaitlin says it looks like a grandma shirt, but I don't even care. I wore it today shopping. Oh, and sunglasses and a belt.
I don't want to leave.... Every day I love it here more. The good thing is that my family will be here in a week, so tomorrow I'm going to plan out a week's itinerary. It should be fun.
New dress (and super duper cheesy picture)
New summer clothes. yay summer
Heading out shopping in my hot mama grandma bird shirt that nobody likes but me

Sushi Spanish Style

2008-10-28T18:13:00.000-07:00

These days have been finals and finals alone. However, I did watch this weeks Gossip Girl. Fabulous as expected. Chuck and Blair drama. Jenny and Nate intrigue. Cute artsy new guy. Could it get better? Did anyone else notice that Blair did not wear one single headband throughout the entire episode? Talk about scandal!

I am officially 3/4 done with classes. I only have 1 more class with finals left. It's a great relief to finish things.

Tonight, Kaitlin and I ordered sushi for deliver. Kaitlin was my man and ordered for us, since I'm way too scared to try talking over the phone. I'm scared enough to talk on the phone in English. I think I'm phoneaphobic. I will walk 20 minutes somewhere to avoid talking over the phone. Anyways, I laughed soooo hard when I heard her say seis peses (paysays, like english pieces), instead of porciones. Needless to say, they didn't understand her. I'm still giggling about it. But she did great and I had yummy sushi, tempura vegetables, and cabernet sauvignon. mmmmm.

I sign up for Berkeley classes tomorrow night. I miss Berkeley. Here's some pictures of classic Berkeley characters.

10 points if you have ever actually talked to these people, or have seen at least 3 in one day. And share.
I can say I see at least 3 of these people every week.
I could just cry with longing after watching this movie

Oh Berkeley, how I love thee.
I couldn't find a picture of the "God bless" guy who sits on Telegraph and Bancroft. He's my favorite.

She's Not You

2008-10-26T21:11:00.001-07:00

I'm studying for a final that I have tomorrow and listening to Elvis Presley's Greatest Hits. It's so cheesy, yet beautifully nostalgic.
All of a sudden, I was captivated by "She's Not You". I nearly cried at the lyrics, and they're incredibly lame. This is what happens when you're a girl. Sometimes, we're overly emotional at silly things.

It's too bad he turned into a caricature of himself. I wish he could stay the cute, 50's version of a boy for eternity.

A Boy Named Sue

2008-10-26T17:55:00.001-07:00

WHY?

2008-10-26T17:47:00.000-07:00

Who would dare put the two ugliest shoes together into one?
If I see anyone actually wearing these CROC-UGG hybrids, I may just boo at them. Or worse.

Triumphant

2008-10-25T22:23:00.000-07:00

ah, I just finished a 10 page research paper. I love being done with stuff. Now I have all day tomorrow to study for my Globalization final without my paper hanging over my head. I can not wait for the day when tests and papers are over.

Tonight, while I was taking a break from my lame paper, I stepped out onto our patio. It's so hot that the cold breeze felt amazing. It was 2am and you could see people in every direction in their apartments. I saw families sitting together at their tables, people dancing in their rooms, groups of friends gathered on their balconies, and endless apartments full of people just like me.
It was a beautiful thing. I love it here.

I love cities at night. Seeing how everyone goes to their home. I get a feeling of community. We're all alike. We've created our own little havens, 80 feet up in small houses. Or like little lego family all placed perfectly in their lined up and stacked square homes. I just hope that I never have to live outside of a city.
I didn't take this picture, but this is my city for now. Good night Bs As.

Hur omkring vi all gå till Sverige för et år?

2008-10-25T07:16:00.000-07:00

It would be really fun.
In fact, I'm looking into taking Swedish classes my Senior year. I really want to learn some.

Twinsies

2008-10-24T14:00:00.000-07:00

I'm halfway to Tina Fey!!!!!

Our host brothers had friends over today because it was absolutely beautiful and sunny. They laid out on the patio sunbathing. This left me in the giddiest mood since I was in a houseful of gorgeous, tan, South American boys. sigh.
I am not going to want to leave if this keeps up.
The best part about the boys here is that they're beautiful, and I don't understand them enough for them to get annoying.

motivation

2008-10-23T21:45:00.000-07:00

One day I will cover my office in motivational posters. I can't tell what's funnier. The funny ones who mock the real ones, or the actual real ones. I usually opt for irony, so I'll probably get the original ones on teamwork and honesty, and whatnot. For now, I like this one.

2008-10-23T20:50:00.000-07:00

the start of bad habits

2008-10-23T19:47:00.001-07:00

recently, I started sitting on my bed and taking unattractive pictures of myself. I'm not sure why I find it so entertaining.
These are just a couple of the many.
I omitted the ones that would send babies crying.

cafe culture

2008-10-23T13:46:00.000-07:00

I'm realizing that I only have a few more weeks left here. I wish I could bring cafe culture with me when I go back home. I love that you can step into any cafe, and have a good meal or drink for a decent price. Some are even fancy with delicious pastries, chocolate, pies, and teas.
I went to one of my favorite cafes today. It's in our neighborhood near a park. They have the best tea that steeps while it sits on your table. I grabbed a newspaper and watched outside.
I've noticed that everyone here is really into American elections. I hear more about American politics than their own. In fact, on the backpage of the newspaper I was perusing, half of the page was dedicated to some article on these sculptures made of the presidents. As if there wasn't something more important going on in the world.
I also enjoyed watching this police man. He started giving tickets to the deliver scooters on the street that belonged to the cafe. My waiter went out and argued with him for a couple of minutes. It all looked rather heated. A bit later, they were laughing and talking like old friends.

Rain, Rain, Go Away

2008-10-21T06:13:00.000-07:00

So today I made my 30 minute walk to class in the midst of a thunder storm complete with lightning, hail, strong gales, and a leaky umbrella. I also had to cross large raging rivers (only slightly over-exaggerating) to go from sidewalk to sidewalk. I'm sitting in a cafe 2 hours later and my poor shoes are still filled with water.
Remember that game Oregon Trail and how you had to forge the river and your oxen always died? Ah, I loved that game! Especially the hunting animals parts. In 4th, grade, everyone used to fight over the computer to play it. And back in 2nd grade, we had the black and white version with the lame noises and special effects.
The worst part about today's horrible weather is that yesterday is the best day we've seen in the city so far. It was hot and sunny. I actually wore a skirt and sandals.
Right now I'm right in the midst of finals. I'm working on two papers and studying for a test. This just means that I'm not doing anything exciting these days so there' very little to write about.

how you feel eskimo?

2008-10-19T13:06:00.001-07:00

so awkward and amazing.

fun bus

2008-10-18T10:03:00.003-07:00

Here's some pictures from the cool bus we took after the show. I liked the colors. It felt like the inside of a circus tent.

tango and techno

2008-10-18T09:28:00.000-07:00

Thursday a group of my friends and I headed back to El Tortoni cafe to watch a tango show. We had front table seats, which was nice. The show was ok, but waaaay too touristy. Next time I want to go to something a bit more authentic. Regardless, today I downloaded a lot of tango music because there is something about it that is very moving and passionate. And I fell a little bit in love with the accordion player. I never realized how much I adore the accordion!

I also downloaded this song on iTunes because I think it's pretty catchy. I added it to my "Blissful Innocence" playlist which I love like a child.

I usually don't like techno music, but I thought this was really cute.

monday holidays

2008-10-13T16:32:00.001-07:00

no school today thanks to some random holiday. it should have been a perfect day, but it was cold, windy, and yucky out.
kaitlin and i drank mate awhile ago which made me really peppy. i suddenly craved "singin' in the rain." So I'm watching it right now and singing along. sigh.
Two things made me squeal today; The beginning of this movie when they are all cute, matchy, happy, and singing, and the new trailer for "Twilight".

recent purchases

2008-10-13T16:14:00.001-07:00

pretty things bought this weekend and today.

belt i'm wearing as a headband

bottle corks. soooooooo cute. i think i'm going to go back and buy the salt and pepper shakers.

jungle purse

jungle neckalces

2008-10-12T21:13:00.000-07:00

y más

2008-10-12T21:09:00.000-07:00

Sunday - Day 4

2008-10-12T19:45:00.000-07:00

Kaitlin woke up at 7:30 in the morning and thought it was 8:30. So she woke me up an hour early and we were ready way before everyone else in our group. So we checked out of our room, ate breakfast, and walked around the town some more. Today our group had a special opportunity to be taken to a remote village in the jungle. We had a native guide who showed us the traps his village have been using for who know how long. I got attacked by HUGE ants, but the experience was one of the best I've ever had. We saw how the people lived in the jungle and how they maintained their distinct culture, complete with a separate language. Some of the children sang to our group and it melted my heart. After being serenaded, we perused the crafts that some of the people made. I bought two necklaces which I thought was very self-controlled of me. I didn't take any pictures because we weren't supposed to disturb the nature and people. So I guess this is an experience I get to keep to myself.

I also bought a headdress back in town and had some not-so-politically-correct fun with it.
We lunched in town, and hopped on another bus. This time we flew back home, thank God.
I've been unjustly vague in describing the trip, but it would be too tiring and difficult to go into all of the details.
I am quite convinced that I like the tropical areas of Argentina better than the city. I can't wait to move there to live someday.

Saturday - Day 3

2008-10-12T19:29:00.000-07:00

Saturday we woke up early, breakfasted, and headed over to Iguazu falls. We spent the day walking all of the trails and taking in nature's gift to us. It was incredible. We saw monkeys, thousands of butterflies, raccoon-anteater hybrids, monster ants, and of course, water falls. We also had the opportunity to take a boat ride that went next to the falls and left us completely soaked. I have 40 pictures in the link below so you should go there to see all of them.
Words struggle to describe how perfect the day was.

After the falls, we went to a lookout point in Argentina where you could see Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay at the same time. The three countries are separated by one river. I'll have to add some pictures once Kaitlin uploads them. Most of our group was sitting on a wall taking in the view. As we got up to leave, I of course dropped one of my flip flops into the bushes and trees below. I had to trek through the thorns and plants to retrieve it. By the end of the day, I was exhausted and happy to return to the hotel for dinner. The town we stayed in was quaint and beautiful, as only a tourist stop jungle town could be.

2008-10-12T19:24:00.000-07:00

swimming pool
photo thanks to kaitlin
tea crops

Friday - Day 2

2008-10-12T19:13:00.000-07:00

Friday Morning.
We met up with our fabulous tour guide, Margarita, and headed over to the Misiones Jesvitico Gvaranies in Misiones, Argentina. There are mission ruins from the 1600's. So beautiful and tranquil. Here are some pictures.

After the ruins, it was back in the bus and over to a barbecue oasis out on a black tea farm. I'll add some pictures of our fun above. We relaxed in hammocks, swam, visited a mate factory, and ate wonderful barbecue.
Everything was luscious, green, peaceful, and incredibly beautiful.

Thursday - Day 1

2008-10-12T19:06:00.001-07:00

We left from the University on Thursday evening and took 12 hour bus ride into Northern Argentina. After that ride, we swapped buses and went for another couple-hour ride.
This meant that we slept in the bus and started our trip unshowered, underslept, and somewhat disheveled. It was somewhat hard-core.
Onward to Friday!....

Too Much to Write About and Show

2008-10-12T18:58:00.001-07:00

So I'm completely overwhelmed by sharing my weekend and showing pictures. So I'll have to go day by day and only show some pictures. If you want to see all of my pictures from the trip, you can click on the following 3 links:
Jesuit Ruins Pictures
Fun in the Jungle Pictures
Iguazu Pictures

Basically, the trip was amazing and I have fallen in love with South America even more. Ok, here I go.

I Voted!

2008-10-08T14:35:00.000-07:00

Here I am dropping off my ballot yesterday at the post office. I had to pay 11 pesos(!) to send it to the states only to find out today that I could have taken it to the Embassy and eaten a yummy breakfast burrito, all for being a wonderful citizen of the US. According to fellow American students donning "I voted abroad" stickers who went to the embassy, there were hundreds of Americans there, and they were provided with breakfast and coffee. It sounded so fun and I wish I knew about it. This was actually the first time I have ever voted so it's a special moment in my life.
Today I got quite a few compliments on my bracelets which I thought was funny because one was bought at a thrift store, and the other was found on the ground.
In a bit I'm going to start packing for this weekend's festivities while watching yesterday's political debate. We have a Monday holiday, so half of our ISA group is going to Iguazu Falls for the weekend. I'm pretty excited. This also means that I probably won't write until Tuesday, unless I decide to bring my computer. So until then, enjoy your week.

2008-10-06T08:22:00.000-07:00

As Pink as Camerónes

2008-10-06T08:08:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was an excursion entitled "Dia de Campo". Translation: Day in Country.
I feel that's pretty self-explanatory.
We rode horses, saw sheep, and had a massive barbecue with too much meat.
Highlights:
1) coming upon the ranch and seeing that it is supposed to be a Dutch ranch(random)
2) entering and then seeing that all of the workers wore traditional Dutch costumes complete with white head caps, red vests, and aprons
3) playing silly games with new friends
4) coming to terms with the fact that I'm a city girl, despite my small town upbringing.

I actually don't enjoy country-side things. I really don't enjoy riding horses, even though each time I try to convince myself that I will. I don't like being dirty or sunburned. I don't like it when you have to trudge through cow poop, thus dirtying cute shoes. Animals are really cute, but they smell. I wouldn't mind reading a book out on a ranch for a few hours, but that's as far as I will go.
Drop me in a huge city any day, and I'll be happy.
Oh yeah, I got pretty burned which made my host brother refer to Kaitlin and I as shrimp.