I'm a big fan of the nickname, and I've had a few that were twisted out of my own name and a few that were totally unrelated. I never got into "Mandy", and only one person ever called me that. And because it was only one person, he was allowed. If it had started a trend, I would have cracked down on that nonsense.
But here, tagging an endearing ending onto a name is almost a requirement. I've been Mandi, Mandiña, Mandita, Amandita, Amandiña, Manderiña, Amandis, Amandía, and Amanda all in the same night. I'll kind of miss that when we go.
Brent has been "Brend," "Bret," and "Bread," mostly because the "nt" sound doesn't exist in Spanish, so people have a hard time figuring out what he's saying when he introduces himself. I'll kind of miss that, too.
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Monday, November 26, 2012
An exercise in tolerance.
Today is another holiday in Argentina, although no one I've asked has any idea what it's for. I went about my usual Monday, with plans to go to the gym. However, I had a very domestic morning: sweeping the floors, cleaning the counter, doing laundry, washing and cutting the stems off a kilo of strawberries, making breakfast, and cooking up the remaining squash so I can make some bread this afternoon. By the time I was ready for the gym, it was already 2:30.
Now, being a holiday, I should have assumed that they would have different hours today. Often they close on holidays, but I saw no indication of that last week, and when I arrived they were open, so I set about my workout.
After 20 minutes, when it went silent and the TVs were off, I realized they were indeed closing early. So I ran fast and uphill, slightly bitter at having my workout cut short. Yes, I could have asked last week about a holiday schedule, but for whatever reason I did not. And why should they bother to put a sign on the door when it's much easier to just cut the electricity to the treadmill under your feet at 2:58?
In general, I have enjoyed my gym. They have hours that work for me, I like the class schedule, it's never very busy when I go, etc. I even wrote a post last year about all the things I love about it. But now, with just weeks before leaving Argentina, I know exactly what I will NOT miss:
1. The ever-changing prices. My six-month membership expired last week. Three days before its expiration, I asked how much a one-month pass would cost. They quoted me a number that was higher than six months ago, which was too high to begin with, but that is to be expected. I went in the day after my pass expired with exactly enough money to buy a new pass, only to be informed that the price had gone up. No big deal, the woman said, just bring the rest tomorrow. YES BIG DEAL. They guy who told me the price knew that it would be rising, and he should have informed me of it. Grrr.
2. The snootiness. I've met many lovely people in Argentina, including a few at the gym, but I've been going to the same class now, two days every week, since May. Many of the women in there have been doing the same, and even now there are only a couple who will even greet me. There are only a handful of employees who bother to greet me.
3. Cell phones. It's one thing to talk on the treadmill, which is a personal pet peeve. But far more irritating are the people -- and there are more than one -- who check their phone between every single set in the class I go to. It's a lifting class with five-minute sets, and when the rest of us are loading or unloading our bars, stretching or grabbing a drink, these girls are sitting cross-legged and round-backed, poking at their screens.
4. The heat. Buenos Aires gets hot in the summer, but so far this spring there have only been a few days that give us a taste of that oppressive heat. And on those days, the gym gets really, really hot. Luckily, the instructor in my class keeps the fans on -- even despite being asked by one woman to turn them off because she didn't like it blowing on her. However, I heard a story of the instructor in a spinning class who, when asked to turn on the fans, informed his participants that they needed to learn to regulate their own body temperature and suck it up. This in an un-air-conditioned room of 20 sweating cyclists when it's 100 degrees outside.
Now, being a holiday, I should have assumed that they would have different hours today. Often they close on holidays, but I saw no indication of that last week, and when I arrived they were open, so I set about my workout.
After 20 minutes, when it went silent and the TVs were off, I realized they were indeed closing early. So I ran fast and uphill, slightly bitter at having my workout cut short. Yes, I could have asked last week about a holiday schedule, but for whatever reason I did not. And why should they bother to put a sign on the door when it's much easier to just cut the electricity to the treadmill under your feet at 2:58?
In general, I have enjoyed my gym. They have hours that work for me, I like the class schedule, it's never very busy when I go, etc. I even wrote a post last year about all the things I love about it. But now, with just weeks before leaving Argentina, I know exactly what I will NOT miss:
1. The ever-changing prices. My six-month membership expired last week. Three days before its expiration, I asked how much a one-month pass would cost. They quoted me a number that was higher than six months ago, which was too high to begin with, but that is to be expected. I went in the day after my pass expired with exactly enough money to buy a new pass, only to be informed that the price had gone up. No big deal, the woman said, just bring the rest tomorrow. YES BIG DEAL. They guy who told me the price knew that it would be rising, and he should have informed me of it. Grrr.
2. The snootiness. I've met many lovely people in Argentina, including a few at the gym, but I've been going to the same class now, two days every week, since May. Many of the women in there have been doing the same, and even now there are only a couple who will even greet me. There are only a handful of employees who bother to greet me.
3. Cell phones. It's one thing to talk on the treadmill, which is a personal pet peeve. But far more irritating are the people -- and there are more than one -- who check their phone between every single set in the class I go to. It's a lifting class with five-minute sets, and when the rest of us are loading or unloading our bars, stretching or grabbing a drink, these girls are sitting cross-legged and round-backed, poking at their screens.
4. The heat. Buenos Aires gets hot in the summer, but so far this spring there have only been a few days that give us a taste of that oppressive heat. And on those days, the gym gets really, really hot. Luckily, the instructor in my class keeps the fans on -- even despite being asked by one woman to turn them off because she didn't like it blowing on her. However, I heard a story of the instructor in a spinning class who, when asked to turn on the fans, informed his participants that they needed to learn to regulate their own body temperature and suck it up. This in an un-air-conditioned room of 20 sweating cyclists when it's 100 degrees outside.
Saturday, November 24, 2012
Happy Thanksgiving
On Tuesday, I made 29 pies. In true my-cooking fashion, two of those didn't turn out -- though it was hardly my fault, as I was using an unfamiliar oven and it darkened the heck out of the tops of those two. The inside was excellent, though, which is how I found out I was on the right track, and how I sustained myself through 10 hours of baking.
On Wednesday and Thursday, dozens of people I know ate those pies, and it made me delightfully happy. I like those people a lot, and it was a great joy to spend Thanksgiving with them.
As every year, there is a great deal to be thankful for. Despite the challenges of this past year, we are a blessed lot.
Also, this just in: Singapore is out. The job offer was waaaay too little for living in a country that pricey -- it's a great opportunity for a new chiropractic graduate, which is exactly the reason they won't offer more for Brent and his 10 years of experience: they know that they can get a recent grad for that much.
Home for the holidays, and then we'll see...
On Wednesday and Thursday, dozens of people I know ate those pies, and it made me delightfully happy. I like those people a lot, and it was a great joy to spend Thanksgiving with them.
As every year, there is a great deal to be thankful for. Despite the challenges of this past year, we are a blessed lot.
Also, this just in: Singapore is out. The job offer was waaaay too little for living in a country that pricey -- it's a great opportunity for a new chiropractic graduate, which is exactly the reason they won't offer more for Brent and his 10 years of experience: they know that they can get a recent grad for that much.
Home for the holidays, and then we'll see...
Monday, November 19, 2012
On the move.
This hardly feels real, having been discussing it for months, but we are finally on our way out of Argentina.
First stop will be Colorado and South Dakota for Christmas! We're both looking forward to a month at home with family, friends, Red Stone mead, Mexican food, and tons of planning for the next leg of our journey: Singapore.
In mid to late January, we'll fly to that super clean, super safe, super expensive little country so Brent can start a three-month trial period in a new office, a trial that is every bit as much for us as it is for them. At three months, we'll evaluate again and decide if we want to stay or go.
Finally. Finally. Adiós, Argentina.
First stop will be Colorado and South Dakota for Christmas! We're both looking forward to a month at home with family, friends, Red Stone mead, Mexican food, and tons of planning for the next leg of our journey: Singapore.
In mid to late January, we'll fly to that super clean, super safe, super expensive little country so Brent can start a three-month trial period in a new office, a trial that is every bit as much for us as it is for them. At three months, we'll evaluate again and decide if we want to stay or go.
Finally. Finally. Adiós, Argentina.
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