Arab Delivery

Food that is.

I'm waiting for a delivery from the Club Siriolibanes - the Syrian-Lebanese Club. I guess that studying Arabic and eating Arab food I would be suspected of being a terrorist by many Americans. Oh well, I am looking forward to my very first delivery of anything in Argentina. I had a rough day and deserve to have my food sent to me!

I met a new conversation exchange partner at CUI, where I have classes. I posted a note on the bulletin board there as well as a new ad on Craigslist and some other site. Raul, my regular partner canceled this week, but even before that I was thinking I need more than one partner. I am really hoping to find a fun, interesting partner who has a car...

Matias, the guy I met today, was not that person.

I waited for him outside of CUI first and after he was 10 minutes late, I went inside the bar and got a coffee and sent him a text letting him know where I was. Soon after I sent the message, a young, disoriented-looking guy came in with his fly wide open and looking at his cell phone. I figured it was him, and I said, "Matias?" I was right.

We spoke for two hours, starting in Spanish, switching to English and then switching back and forth. The conversation was kind of like pulling teeth, though there were times when we did find something to talk about, like politics (always a fun topic for me!)

Matias is studying economics and I did learn some interesting things from him. For example, I knew it, but didn't realize the enormity of the fact that universities are free in Argentina! What an incredible thing. With students in the US possibly unable to go to college because they can't get loans (due to our credit crisis), parents having to save fortunes to send their kids to college, here it is free. And students can get reimbursed for their books. Matias told me this after he said he thought capitalism was better than socialism, but then he conceded that free university education was a good thing.

The bar at CUI was not the best place to meet. At first it was ok, but about halfway through our conversation we were invaded by all of the students on break. It got SOOOOO loud, I was unable to hear myself talk. It was horrible. I was leaning halfway across the table to hear Matias, who was not making an effort to either lean closer or talk louder.

I was glad when we were finished and walked Matias back in the direction of my apartment. He turned at Cordoba, so I decided next week we'll meet in a cafe I like on Cordoba, instead of at school. It will be more convenient for both of us and not as loud.

I just finished a test skype call with my friend Diane, who is going to skype me from her class next week and let her students ask me questions. That will be fun. They have been reading my other blog, which I am writing with students in mind. Diane has some of my former students and it will be fun to talk to them (and see them)!

In the middle of my skype call, my delivery came! Mmmmm....the food smells so good. I am going to finish this blog very quickly so I can go eat.

After my meeting this morning with Matias, I ate lunch, took a very long nap that was difficult to wake up from, studied some Arabic, got frustrated, went to Cafe de Las Ciencias, a place I used to eat lunch at a lot last summer, and then went to my Arabic Phonetics class. I still don't know why they call it phonetics. Ybti passed the book around again and students took turns reading from this book. It is the craziest system of teaching I have ever seen! At the end of the class she commented on how good the lesson was!??!!????!!!?????

Ok, time to eat!