I was going to blog earlier today when I got home from Italian class, but I thought I'd have something to report from later in the day. I don't. And now I have forgotten what I did have to say earlier.
Today when I got to Italian class our class had been moved again. I don't know why they keep doing that to us. Next week we'll be back in our old room. I actually like the rooms we get moved to because they are smaller and the acoustics are better.
Today Blas didn't ask us what we did on the weekend. Thank god! I hadn't done much but was prepared to lie. He went over the list of who is bringing what up until the final exam, since we now have this tradition of someone bringing a cake or snack to every class. I thought I'd complain a little and asked why I was the only man who had to bring something. I know it was a little sexist, but someone told me to say that (I forget who). Since I am not in my own kitchen, it is kind of hard for me to bake something really yummy. Well, the response was that Matias had brought a cake and there were no other men in the class. That was partially true. There are a few other guys in the class but they are kind of weird. I regretted saying that, because now that I have figured out what to bring, I am excited.
I sometimes wonder if Blas has a crush on me because he calls on me so much. I am pretty sure he is straight, and I think he likes some of the girls in class, but he pays so much attention to the guys and is really chummy and calls all of the guys by their names, but still doesn't know the names of some of the girls in the class. It is very strange.
My comprehension in class seems to be getting worse as people are feeling more comfortable to chat. It gets noisy and they talk about things that I don't understand.
Today for our break we had two treats. Natalia, the woman who I work with a lot in small groups brought brownies, even though she hadn't been scheduled, and another woman, also Natalia, brought something that looked like blondies and had pieces of merengue in them. Natalias brownies were better.
When the treats were unwrapped a huge discussion ensued among the cheering and clapping and I didn't understand a word of what was said. Then everyone got up and left the room, taking the treats with them. I asked someone what was happening and I was told they were going down to the bar. I guess the idea was that people could get coffee or drinks to go with the snacks.
The bar was noisy as always and as we sat at the table eating our treats, everyone was talking really fast and I understood about 1% of what was said. At one point, one of the older women in the class who Blas calls "Heavy Metal" because her daughter is into heavy metal (when he says it, he makes a funny flogger face and plays air guitar "HEAVY METAL!") said something to me from the other end of the table. I couldn't hear and had no idea what she was saying. The strange Bolivian guy who Blas calls Jesus (English pronunciation) because he thought Madonna meant mother, was sitting next to Heavy Metal. When I didn't understand, Jesus said something to Heavy Metal and they both laughed. I thought they were making fun of me. I wasn't happy. I think I'm doing well for taking two language classes that are being taught in a third language, and if people want to make fun of my lack of comprehension, that is fine with me. I just think Jesus is kind of weird and should not be making fun of people since he is the brunt of so many of Blas' jokes.
Today we did a class evaluation. As much as I would have liked to somehow say something about the things in the class that I didn't like, I had to give Blas a decent evaluation since the items on the form measured the things he did and not the things I would have liked for him to do. Also there were no questions about comfort level, or about the teacher respecting students, or anything like that. There were also questions about the department of students and people at the registrar and in the bookstore. I think I only gave one item an excellent evaluation and gave the rest of them good. I guess we'll be evaluating our Arabic class on Saturday too.
I decided that next year when I come back I will study Portuguese. Hernan and watched a You Tube video yesterday that taught ten phrases in Brazilian Portuguese. I like it. I think it will be fun to learn basic Portuguese. Of course, I'll end up having the same problem I have in Italian class - that the languages are so close and I'll be confused, but who knows, maybe it will be a better experience. I don't want to go on to Arabic 2 here because I am worried that I will be too frustrated, especially if I have Ybti again and we do "pass the book" in class.
I came home to a clean apartment, ate lunch and took a good nap. I was tired this morning because when Hernan came over yesterday we drank coffee and then I couldn't sleep last night. After my nap, I went to the gym and came straight back because it was so bloody hot.
I hope this weather is a freak and that a wave of polar air will come up from the south and cool things off. Well, actually I just checked the weather and today was 86, and tomorrow and Friday look the same, but Saturday they are saying a high of 69 and Sunday, 73. Strange, but I'll take it!
Raul, my conversation exchange partner canceled again today. I texted him and asked what he thought about tonight and mentioned the heat, because to be honest, I didn't want to have to walk to meet him. But, since he canceled, that is it for me. It's been over a month since we last met and I don't like having to walk so far to meet him (he is over by school and since I go at rush hour, there is no point trying to take a cab or bus, since walking is faster at that hour). I've also kind of lost interest in him - I think we have run out of things to talk about and my question about Ford Falcons may have been a major faux pas (I don't know if I wrote about that or not, but it felt uncomfortable and I learned my lesson).
Tomorrow Hernan gets to go back to his place in San Telmo. His tenant is moving out and he will be showing it and trying to rent it for a few more weeks. He's going to make dinner for me and we'll go from there to Puerto Madero. He told me there is a nice walk along the river. I didn't tell him I already did it. It will be different with him as he always shows me interesting things that are off the beaten path.
We're still trying to work out our plans for Buzios. The travel agent said the hotel that we booked in our package does not have any rooms, but there is a posada at the same complex with bungalows and they will give us a discount. Personally, the bungalows sound better to me. I looked at the photos and they look slightly funky but I'd rather stay in a funky bungalow than a funky hotel. I'm mostly interested in making sure we have a view of the ocean from our room and they are saying we would in a bungalow. Next I have to go to the Brazilian Embassy and get a visa. That will be fun since the embassy is in one of the big old mansions that once belonged to the super rich in Buenos Aires before the crash of '29. There are many of these large villas, which resemble palaces, scattered around the city. They were large and lavish, but when people lost their savings in the stock market they could not afford the upkeep, so many of them were sold off as embassies, a few are museums and I think some of them are government offices.
I'm looking forward to finishing up with school and breaking up my routine a bit with this trip. Also some friend from SF will be here next week and my friend Diane is coming in December. It will be nice to end this trip with some companionship. I'm sure Diane and I will have fun as we try to find things to do that don't involve us sweating too much.
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