My mini-vacation to Uruguay was good for me. I thought it would in some way break the monotony of my new temporary life here and revive my love for Buenos Aires. Well, it worked...sort of. What I discovered I really love is having an apartment and not staying in a hotel. So in that respect, I am really happy to be home!
This morning I had an appointment with my soap star chiropractor who was looking a little less babelicious today because he was badly in need of a shave. Argentine men do not shave every day. In fact, stubble is more the norm than the exception, it seems. That along with messy hair makes it look like everyone just rolled out of bed - after being there for 3 days. There is something attractive about it, but Hugo, my chiropractor, who normally had a 1-2 day stubble, today looked like he hadn't shaved for a week. It was too much. It was hiding his beautiful sweet face.
Other than that, the visit was good. This was the 4th visit in my intensive treatment and my neck feels much better though at times it still stiffens up. I am now going to see him every two weeks.
On the way home I stopped in a sweet little cafe and did some catch up on my Italian homework. I had a coffee and some of the best medialunas I've had here. This place, which is on the corner of Pacheco de Melo and maybe Laprida, was very nice. Big windows to people watch, quiet, nice music playing, and good medialunas. It is a candidate on my list of potential cafes to make my hangout.
I have decided that I am trying to do too much here. I'm stuck with the bed I have made and will have to continue with Arabic twice a week and Italian every Wednesday. I also want to continue with my private tango lessons with Marcelo, and my one language exchange (and others if they materialize). But that is enough. I was not feeling good about the group tango classes and kind of dreaded them. I thought it would get better if I continued going back, and in some ways they did, but the feeling of dread never faded.
Yesterday sitting outside reading a newspaper and today sitting in this nice cafe doing Italian homework, felt right. If I had to go back to either one of those cafes tomorrow I would not feel the dread I felt when I pushed myself to go to tango class.
All of this could change. Like John McCain, I have a different strategy every week. But this week, my strategy is bumming as much as I can. I've been doing a lot of that. But from now on, instead of doing it in front of the TV, I am going to bring something to read or study, like Arabic or Italian, and find a place to park myself and just hang out. This was originally on my list of accomplishments before all of the medical stuff got in the way.
Speaking of medical stuff, I went to the German Hospital today to find out about health insurance. I spoke to a woman named Milagro (Miracle). She was an insurance sales person. At first she told me I qualified for a youth package. I thought, people in Buenos Aires must live a very long time if I am considered "youth". It turned out she heard I was 38 instead of 48. She then told me about the packages they have for seniors (just kidding).
I could get a very comprehensive insurance plan that would give me full coverage, including dental, chiropractor and massage for a little over one hundred dollars per month. I could get a cheaper plan than that as well and am not sure what the difference is. I think there was a copay of 5 pesos for some things (less than 2 dollars).
Milagro had a stern, businesslike way about her, as she encouraged me to take the comprehensive plan, and then switch to the cheaper plan during the time that I am back in the states. I think her reasoning was that if I closed the plan and then had some problem like a spike in my blood sugar, I would not be able to get any coverage when I return.
I could not see any sense in paying for insurance when I am out of the country, since I have my own plan in the states.
So, I have decided to just wait until next year. But in the meantime, I am going to continue to investigate the plans and the types of coverage I am able to get.
I thought I would use some of my free time seeing specialists and trying to find a solution to the meniere's, but since I was not really sure exactly what Milagro told me, I think it might be better if I wait until I can see doctors who speak my language before doing anything radical.
Also, since I am planning on changing neighborhoods for next year, I think it would also be good to see what hospitals are convenient to my new apartment.
I'm going to look at an apartment this Thursday in Palermo. I think it is in the generic Palermo. It is not too far from here, but it is a little far from the subte. It looks like I could take a bus from there to travel, but I have not been on a bus yet and don't want to start using them because of the issue of change.
Yesterday the subte was free because there was no change. I read in the newspaper at the chiropractor's office today that a train line also offered free passage today because there was no change. The article summarized the problem and said there was no solution. Hello??? Tokens!!!??? It is really ridiculous that they can not figure out a solution to a problem that many other countries around the world have solved.
Because of the shortage of change, and the need for change for the bus (at least the subte you can buy a card that has a certain number of trips on it), there is a black market for change. People will charge 10 pesos and give 9 pesos worth of change. Sometimes they charge more. So, my number 1 priority for an apartment for next year is that I must be able to walk or take the subte to get around. No busses for me!
And so, as the rain falls and this day winds to an end, I am worn out from my day of doing a whole lot of nothing. I actually did a lot - chiropractor, cafe, Milagro, cooked, watched TV, studied Italian, studied Spanish (on TV), made dinner, watched the news, watched part of an Italian movie with Spanish subtitles and caught up on my e-mails.
Tomorrow I have no idea what we will be doing in my Italian class. I am totally expecting Blas to ask me questions about what I have been up to. I need to learn how to say "bumming" in Italian.
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