Today was my last day of camp, what a relief! The kids played "war" with water guns and divided up into teams. Each kid had "5 lives" aka 5 times that they were able to get wet. Whoever survives for the longest amount of time without getting wet wins, as well as their team. Last week at camp every day was boiling hot with a lot of sun. This week it was gloomy and rained almost every day (luckily not today but there was no sun).
I'm embarrassed to say this, but I went to Walmart to buy a few things for sleep away camp. I wanted to go somewhere where I could find everything in the same place, instead of running around and going to 10 different stores. I bought an air mattress, some clothes (from what I heard, the camp seems to be very primitive and I don't want my clothes to get ruined) and snacks for the long bus ride (we are taking the bus from Córdoba to Villa Gesell, which I heard is a 12 hour bus ride).
This morning I went to the center of the city to buy some last minute things for sleep away camp (I leave monday). I woke up really early because I heard that many businesses were going to close at 12PM.
So in the last blog I mentioned how I had no electricity for 2 days. Sunday night I had no running water and monday morning when I wanted to shower after my swim class there was no hot water. So yea, if I find a better apartment (and hopefully with a roommate) I am moving!
I had my last swim class today which was sad, because I really enjoy it. Todays workout was very difficult, 8 sets of 100 IM, then 4 sets of 200 of each stroke (EX: 50 butterfly kick, 50 butterfly arms, 100 butterfly full stroke...). I can't even remember the rest of the workout but it killed me, butterfly is so difficult! An interesting cultural thing - I live 2 blocks from the swimming pool and everyday I would walk to the pool in flip flops, my bathing suit (not a bikini, a regular swimmers bathing suite) and a towel covering me. The other day, my instructor asked me why I walk around the city in a towel and I explained to her that I live 2 blocks from the pool, and whats the point in getting dressed up if I'm just going to change into my bathing suite? She said that that it is socially unacceptable to walk around the city that way, even if it's just 2 blocks. You bet that today I came to the pool fully dressed. In California I always arrived at the pool that way and it was totally acceptable. But this is Argentina and in general Argentines dress much nicer and put together than Americans.
More quilombo in Argentina, but don't worry, it's just the usual. This is my first time in Argentina around new years (last year I was in Peru) and apparently every year around this time, all of the banks run out of money. Why do they run out of money? Because Argentina is a cash society. People don't trust the banks (Argentina had a huge financial crisis in 2001) and they literally would rather put money under their mattress instead of in the bank ( I know people whose parents do this). So the problem is that now is the high season to go on vacation which means that people are taking out money from the ATM very quickly to spend it on traveling and vacation (which of course is payed with cold hard cash, no credit card or check) and the banks can't keep up. Also, I guess now is when many people get their paychecks so there were long lines at the bank with people waiting to get their paycheck, except that it's cash and I'm guessing they are going home to put it under their mattress...When I heard about what's going on with the banks, I ran to the ATM and was lucky that I was able to withdraw money. I watched many stories on the news that senior citizens were not able to receive their paychecks or their social security check (in cash) and were waiting in the banks for hours in the boiling heat without AC. I also saw many long lines at the banks with frustrated people, because the banks had no more cash. It's moments like this where I think to myself how lucky I am to live in the United States (although I do love Argentina) and although we are in crisis, I can withdraw money anytime I want.
I've also been hearing rumors that costs will go up, for everything in Argentina (I do remember this, that after new years the prices rise for everything thanks to inflation. I remember when I studied abroad in Buenos Aires in 2008 the starting rate for a taxi was 2.60 pesos and now it's 5.60 pesos...yay inflation). Being that today is the last day of 2010, many people have bought tons of things and have stalked up because January 1, 2011 the price will rise. This phenomenom will also affect the "cospel" the Córdoba bus token, which I knew but for some reason I briefly forgot the consequences of this. Today I went to 5 kiosks to buy bus coins and no one had and at first I couldn't figure out why. Then I remembered that people probably stalked up on cospels and for that reason there are non left, until 2011 when the price will rise (before it was 2 pesos for 1 cospel and I heard it will rise to 2.20).
Tonight is New Years and I was invited to have dinner with the Sefardi family and then later I'm sure I'll linger on over to some party. I'm sure it will be a good time, because Argentines know how to have fun and party!
Happy New Year everyone!!!!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment