Updateapalooza!

Sorry for the delay in updates folks! Nothing too exciting going on this week.  :)  But I need to dust the cobwebs off this blog, So here goes.   This was written over a span of about 3 days.....So the order was completely messed up.  and I'm having trouble staying connected to the internet (weak signal) so I'm just going to hit "post."  Please forgive all style/grammar/spelling errors, etc.  

 

Politics:  

So I hear there's a new president, and I'm told he's black..............What the crap is going on back home?  Pretty soon interracial marriage will be legal, and people from other countries will be able to come into the country and work without citizenship..................Just kidding!  My sense of humor is a little tapped as of late.  

Romance:

That guy I met at the Pride, Dany (Argentina) and I hung out the day after.  Very nice guy who is helping me a lot with my spanish, but I sort of figured that he wasn't really what I was looking for in............well............in a romantic............anything.  He's a nice guy, but I don't really see myself with him in a romantic capacity.  Today we had that conversation, it was pretty awkward, and he said he understood, but something tells me he might still be trying to work the angle.  I think he'll make a great friend, but that's where I'm leaving it for now....  

Classes:

I started my new class on Monday.  The instructor is really good.  It's actually a guy this time.  He's less prone to ask us questions about our home countries, so I have about 0 opportunity to ham it up and try and make everyone laugh.  Which is probably a good thing considering the students I'm with.  First, there's this guy from Holland, or Sweden, I don't know, but his name is Victor.  I think collectively, he has said about 50 words in the 3 days of class I've had with him.  So he's super fun.  Then I have the guy that I had the last two weeks in my 2A level class.  Bernhard.  Bernhard is from Germany, but lives in Austria.  I sort of figured he and I would end up in the same class this time, and I can't say I'm entirely joyous.  Without drawing it out like I tend to.  Bernhard doesn't talk a lot, he stares at people with a pretty unique look on his face, and all around makes people pretty uncomfortable.  He's never said or done anything wrong to me, so naturally I can't conceivably treat him like he's a bad person.   So I invite him to certain things and I think he appreciates it, because he starts wanting to hang out.  Not a big deal, except when we are in an enclosed space, I tend to get REALLY uncomfortable, which sucks because AGAIN, he doesn't do anything wrong.  

So the first day and a half in my new class was pretty much the teacher talking, me asking about 200 questions and the other 2 pretty much listening to the 2 of us interact.  Pretty sweet deal.  It was almost like private lessons but with an audience.  Then halfway through day 2, we got a girl who was in a higher level, but wanted to go back a level because the one she came into was too difficult. (yay estrogen in the classroom!)  Her name is Joanna and she is from Scotland.  (Awesome Accent!)  So I have someone in the class that I can bond with, and bond we have.  We've eaten together, hit up Museo together, gone shopping together, it's pretty surprising how we sort of meshed so quickly.  Part of it I think is the fact she's down here doing EXACTLY what I'm doing.  School for 3 months, then it's job hunting time so that she can stay longer.  This was immediately great because I don't have to worry about her leaving after a few weeks!  

Tanja (Switzerland) and I have been becoming closer, which is also very nice.  She's such a free spirit and a totally beautiful girl.  She's got an open plan on staying in BA as well.  I think once I know someone is staying for a while, I'm a little bit less guarded about hanging out with them.  I've already had a lot of friends head elsewhere and it sucks.  

Voting exp  ( I can't move this underneat the politics heading, don't blame me, blame blogspot)  

So one of the things i should have done forever but didn't was go to the American Embassy and apply and do what I need to do to vote.  I know, I'm a horrible person and shouldn't have waited.  Coulda/Woulda/Shoulda.  I did end up voting but there's about a 95% chance it didn't count.  Unfortunately, Nevada is one of those really stupid states that doesn't let you fax or email your vote in.  what the crap kind of system is THAT, Nevada? So the vote was received.....umm..............the day of the election.  :-\   I personally thought I was SOL, but the guy behind the counter kept insisting that there was a chance the vote would count, I have no idea how, but it made me feel better.  Either way, my candidate won the election so if someone tries to hit me over the head with the "every vote matters" speech, I'll be ready for them. I've just decided to quite here while I'm ahead.  Don't want to incite any political debates on my blog.  

Oddly enough, people down here are THRILLED about Obama being president.  I can't count how many people said "Congratulations!" to me the other day.    One recurring theme about this trip is that people from ALL over the world seem to know about what's going on in America.  Which is always a little weird if you don't know much about the politics of other countries because you feel like the person who received a Christmas gift from a person you didn't buy anything for...........ok..........horrible analogy, but you get my drift.

Nothing else really going on.  It's been a very relaxing couple of days.  Coming up, I'm going out tomorrow night probably, then I'm going to Creamfield (doesn't THAT sound enticing?) Some sort of all day, all night concert festival, I'm totally having 2nd thoughts because it's supposed to be an hour away and a cab ride home would be an arm and a leg, which would suck because I had sell a kidney for a ticket......crap. 

Observation of the Day

I've been waiting to do this since week 1, so it only seems fit to bring this section of my blog back discussing something I feel strongly about.   EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN THIS CITY SMOKES (and by EVERY SINGLE PERSON, of course I am exaggerating.........or am I)   It is absolutely uncanny.  Old people, young people, attractive people, you name it.  I'm convinced I'll see a dog or cat with a cosmo and a cigarette ANY day now.  I hate the smell of 2nd hand smoke as it is.  And I don't know how, but my face is like a vacuum for it.  No matter what angle, the smoke goes STRAIGHT for my face, which gets REALLY old, REALLY fast.  It's like these people have NEVER heard of lung cancer.    I know it's a cultural thing that I should be sensitive to, but I have always maintained the idea that as long as you aren't killing babies, do whatever floats your boat, but once you start compromising my breathing capacity, I can't stay silent.  Unless of course you don't speak English and I don't know how to say, "please blow your death smoke in the face of someone who can appreciate it" in spanish.........oh wait..............

Person Back Home of the "Day"

The Rents!  

Mom and Pop have been nothing but supportive of me on this venture.  I miss them a lot!  

Hope to have more posted soon!  

xoxo