We went to the Face Tattoo shop but realized they were closed until 1. So Sam and I walked around a bit until we found this cool-looking Arab place. It was a bit expensive but so worth it! We each had a falafel sandwich.
When we were paying the bill, a woman came in with her two little children, a boy and a girl that looked like she was about 2. The woman came up to us begging for money- it made us so uncomfortable. Here we are, just finished a delicious, kind of expensive meal, and we're saying no to a woman needing money. Her son didn't even have an ear! Her daughter was even trying to take things out of Sam's backpack. The store owners made her leave eventually.
Later walking down the street, we saw the family again but her son was eating an ice cream from McDonald's... super healthy meal, ma. Good use of your money.
It's funny, I was talking to mi mama (my host mom) about the slums of BA. She said a quote that is also said in English:
Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.
Mi mama, who is very strongly against their president, Christina, does not believe in giving gifts. She believes that people should work for their money but it is very difficult with a corrupt government and police force. The government only started recognizing that the slums existed 2 years ago... doesn't mean they help.
Corrupt government, developing country, makes me happy to be an American.
So anyway, I digress.
We walked around trying to recharge our SUBE cards (the cards we can use for the buses, trains and subways) but it was impossible! All of the kioskos that normally recharge them wouldn't. I was in negative pesos so I had to get it charged!
Possibly it is because of the recent rise in inflation? It's up to 9.7 pesos to 1 dollar on the blue market! Doesn't really make a difference, though, cause all the other prices will go up as well.
Back when the inflation was unbelievably high in Argentina, the inflation would rise over 2,000 times in one year! That's incredible compared to our 2% or so.
Again, I digress.
We had to go to a museum in Recoleta at 3 for a tour for our Visual Arts of Buenos Aires class. We took the bus but it took so long! Argentina is terrible with their road and sidewalk construction. There are always delays and you can't walk 5 feet on the sidewalk without stepping on broken or tiles. It sucks the worst after it rains cause there's puddles everywhere.
Luckily it has only rained 1 or 2 times in the last month that I've been here!
So we took the bus to about where we needed to be and Sam and I just hung out at a nearby park until we had to be at the museum. We did some homework, talked a bit, then headed to the Bicentenial Museum. It was all about workers of Argentina and their poverty.
Basically, it was pretty boring. So Sam, Julie (a girl from our class) and I got coffee and two medialunas at McDonald's for $13 pesos! That's insane!
Went back to IES, watched a movie I need to watch for my Drugs and Violence class for Monday (Elefante Blanco) and headed home for dinner. We had lentils!
The day before, my abogado friend asked me if I wanted to go out for a drink. I said I probably had a lot of work to do for school. He said that I do work until 11 then he'd pick me up and we could go to a bar in Palermo called Isabel... um... I don't think so.
This was starting to sound like a date.. and I'm not into that. So last night I told him that Sam and I were heading to a bar called Canalbar and he could meet us there if he wanted. Even after a few happy hour wiscolas, he didn't show. I'm cool with lunch or coffee as long as he's not hitting on me, but things need to stay sober.
Sam and I had an awesome time! Mindee and Carla came about an hour later. It was great, the four of us! We went to Tikibar which was right next door and had a few more happy hour drinks.
It was a great night out with my girls!!!
Until next time! Chau!
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