Let's Do the Time Warp Again!!!!!

So sorry that I have not been diligent with the posting. This one should be a very long one since I have much to tell y'all. I'm going to start with the most recent ending with what's happened a few weeks ago.

Right now I'm writing to you from a hostel in Córdoba! Woohoo, took a trip to another place with my friend Logan. She's this cool chick from my school, who has been traveling for awhile now. She's a very living in the moment type kind of the person. I've got mad respect for her because of that. We arrived here on a Sunday, and let me tell you this bustling city was nowhere to be seen. It was very much a ghost town. That night you would not believe how many people came out and were walking about. I convinced myself and I also think Logan that we were surrounded by vampires. We went to a cool restaurant where a few couples were doing the Tango. I was very pleased to be able to witness that. The next day we took a trip to an outside city Alta Garcia, so we could go see the house Ché Guevara grew up in. It was very interesting to see some of his artifacts, and many pictures of that Good Ol' Boy Fidel. We also walked a little ways to see the Jesuit Ruins. Tonight we are going to help Córdoba begin their celebration of Argentina's 200 years since the Revolution.

I don't know if y'all have seen much in the news, but Argentina is partying it up. Well really Buenos Aires. The other parts of the country I'm sure well come around by Tuesday.

I did not watch much random television before I came to Argentina, but now that I'm here I'm a die hard channel surfer. I've got a t-shirt and everything. One thing that's different is that there's a lot of stuff I would never watch, but since it's either Spanish voice overs or subtitles I'll let a lot of things Slide. For example I watched Pearl Harbor, Mona Lisa Smile, and The Four Feathers in Spanish or with subtitles. There is also the other great aspect of watching movies I love in Spanish. For example The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Pride.

So I have found myself saying "surely" a lot. For example 'Surely, you can get change from this place.' or 'Surely, they would have different types of shoes in these stores.' Surely, for me, has become the word that subconsciously tells me that I'm in the wrong. The things that the Argentinians are inefficient or efficient about are completely ridiculous and backwards. For instance I have to take a ticket for a EXTREMELY small fresh fruit stand on the corner, when there are no people around, and on the other hand they have gates up along side the roads that even cover the walkways,therefore, making it hard to get on the other side of the street! Craziness??? I think that would be a resounding yes.

Rotary News, I've meet up with my counselor, Francisco Perez Diez. He's probably the warmest Mendocino that I have meet. I have had dinner with his family, and I've attended my first meeting. The Rotary meeting was very different to say the least. To begin with it was at 9:30 at night therefore making the time I left around midnight. Only me, except for Paulita, who is Francisco's daughter, were the women there. The men there were some extreme flirts, but it was all in fun. Most of them wanted to practice their English. I got a poem, "Roses are red, Violets are blue, Honey is sweet and so are you!" I cackled like usual. He could have been my great grandpa. The dinner was very elegant, a lot of wine and a ton of utensils. But I must say I held my own. The man that I sat next to was the exact replica of Stacey Keach. Hopefully, I can get a picture next time.

So let me give you a little bit of fact about the Argentinians. They are fanatically crazy about soccer. And, you don't joke about soccer or go to the games wearing the wrong colors. It's extremely dangerous, especially in Buenos Aires. So dangerous in fact women and children really don't go anymore. So you can only guess what I did when one was occurring in Mendoza. I went of course! Nothing like getting the heart pumping like being near death! Anyhoo, there were a ton of people, and you were shuffling your feet to get to the check point or what I'm calling a check point. The check point was this gated area with police, and I mean police with dogs, on horses, etc. The crowd splits in to men and women. The women go through really fast because there weren't many of us there. I would say the ratio of men to women had to be about 40 to 1. Not even exaggerating. So you get through the gate then there's another wave of police who pat you down. And my female officer enjoyed herself, a little bit too much in my opinion. Then we women had to wait on the guys of our group, the group is a group of students from the school. It was crazy to watch the men trying to force their way through the gated area so they could get patted down. Now I'm in a country that loves their alcoholic beverages, but drinking is banned at all soccer games here, if that tells y'all anything. We get in the stadium, and I'm anxiously waiting for the game to begin. When the team comes out confetti is thrown into the air. There's so much confetti that it actually feels really heavy when it hits you. There are so many chants that I really don't understand, but I know they were full of profanity. Then comes this huge banner that the fans were covering our side of the stadium. So you stand there a good ten to fifteen minutes with a banner that covers thousands of people that basically blocks the sky. It was the creepiest feeling I've had in a while, and I was glad once it was finally lifted. The fanaticos as they were called have their own section, which I was aware I was really close to it. They were lighting fireworks like crazy. Fireworks are prohibited, and the reason we have a pat down in the first place was to keep fireworks, weapons, etc. from entering the stadium. Guess there were some sneakies. The soccer game was as boring as they usually all are for me. I'm so glad that our team won though because walking out could have been.....tricky. Once we won, the fanaticos flood the field and the police dogs were let loose on them. It was one of those moments when I said "Surely, they wouldn't let those dogs on people!" I can only shrug now. LOL Our team came back, Godoy Cruz, just to wave at the fans, kind of like a thanks for coming. There were a couple of kids that got on one of the players and tour his uniform off. "Surely not!" I just shake my head now thinking back on it. When it was time to go we had to hang back, and let all the really crazy fans get way ahead of us. It was intense, but not as horrible as it could have been.

This post is coming to it's end. I'm just wanted everyone to know how I was doing. I'm getting better with my Spanish, talking a lot more. I have cravings for the craziest things, for example, I would give my left foot for a sausage, egg, and cheese biscuit from Doug's. Umm...the breakfasts foods here are dry toast and tea, not filling at all. Welp, that's it for now!

Peace, Love, and Chicken Grease
Ciao

Kolby

There's No Place Like Home!

So, I'm still fighting homesickness I have my good days and bad days. My host family is really starting to be my foundation. I live with Susanna (the mother) but her nickname is Pupí pronounced poopee, and her son Cova rhymes with Cobra. I know right? Don't get me started. Anyway, she has four daughters three of whom still live in Argentina. They are over all the time, and the family gatherings are big, loud, and always in front of the t.v.

We have a new set of students this week at the school, and let me tell you they are no where near as great as the first group of students. That's for you Tina and Ian, but I'm not lying.

I have met up with my Rotary counselor Francisco, and I have plans to meet of with another Rotary Scholar named Laura. Things are starting to click into place more and more. Francisco is muy funny, and I haven't meet someone here that reminded me so much of Jimmy Welch personality wise...who wasn't insane. So it's really a good thing.

Now onto one of the Argentine mysteries, ladies and gentleman, the mullet, rat tail, and the infusion of the dreadlocked rat tail.

This is soo popular with the men down here! It was like whiplash the first time for me walking down the street. I'm thinking is that a mullet, whiplash, is that a rat tail, whip lash, is that a DREADLOCKED rat tailed mullet!!!!

I just cannot describe to you how much this is a GINORMOUS DOUBLE NEGATIVE NO NO. Alas, it seems pretty trivial to post about it but I must tell you it's a heavy part of the Argentine culture. I'll try to make sure to put a pic of it up in the next post!

Ciao Ciao,
Kolby

Bad Romance..

You would not believe how current American music is here. I cannot tell you how many times, Lady Gaga plays throughout the day! Bad Romance is muy popular here.

It's really amazing to have my first week go by. I'm still learning the streets and everything. Getting lost here is a common thing. I have become really good friends with the people at my school, and it's going to be sad when I make good friends every week, just to have them leave on Fridays. That will be hard because you sort of have this security blanket every week only to have it ripped away Friday after Friday.

This first week has been good, still getting my land legs. Yes, I know that wasn't the correct situation for that phrase, but I still appreciate my own attempt at wit/humor.

Until next time,
Besos,

Kolby

Newsflash bidet is spelled this way.


Anywho, Hello ladies and gents, loved one and not so loved ones. It's Thursday here, and coming to the end of my first week. I've made contact finally with my Rotarian, and he would like me to call him....so we'll see how that phone call goes. LOL :) I still cannot understand my host family....the slang is quite ridiculous, but I can make it. I went to the crazy expensive winery yesterday...so...yeah. It was an experience. I'm still trying to learn my way around town. I haven't tried the buses yet, but one day I will when I feel like getting totally lost.

I must tell you that I find the Argentines quite funny. There's this show here called ShowMatch and it's a great mix between So I Think You Can Dance and Dancing with the stars. The other night there was this beefed up man dressed like a bad version of Adam Lambert (well if there is such a thing as worser version of Adam)singing Lady Gaga's Bad Romance in english in an operatic voice. It was something else. I really will post some pictures I promise, it's sort of hectic right now...just getting acclimated. Hopefully things will reach me in the mail, and I can get a wireless connection at the house. Well, I need to rush off!

Besos!

Ground Control to Major Tom

The reasoning for the title of this post is because that was the very first song to play on my zune on my flight leaving Arkansas. God´s got some major humor.

Well here I am in Mendoza...thinking what have I gotten my fool self into. I'm not going to lie the first day has been really rough. Suprisingly, flying was easy peasy. Nevertheless, I did a big boo boo, and left my freaking debit card in the States! Woooow...how absentminded could I get. Never fear the wonderful Burks of Hurst, Texas saved the day when the came to see me off in Dallas. Hopefully I´ll get my card sometime this week until then...who knows...life´s an adventure right? I´m uber homesick already....and I´m glad it´s hit me early so later on I won´t be blindsided by it. Tomorrow is my first day of classes, and I have to wander around looking for my school, with a map..........that I can´t read..hahah. Ohh, for those of you who know Jimmy Welch I have met an Argentine version of him on the flight to Mendoza, but he didn´t want to take a picture with me. My host family has been really nice so far...they are a very loud family, makes me miss mine even more. Oh, and get this some of y´all are going to crack up...there´s a bouday (sp) in the bathroom. You think I´m using that thing..you´re out of your mind. I´ll be sure to post pictures as soon as I can, and if you love me please send some pics of yourself because my walls are quite bare in my room..Umm...that means you too Larry. I´m really hoping to catch my groove here, I just don´t like unknown situations, and I guess that´s why I force myself in to them. Well, I have a major headache it´s almost 9 p.m. and dinner is still two hours away. Lawd help me.

I didn´t proof this sooo ignore the typos.

Missing You All,
Besos!