Aqui estoy

Well, here I am! After eleven hours in airports and twelve hours worth of flights, I have arrived in Buenos Aires. The trip was uneventful, unless you count the fact that the only movies on the plane down were the two movies I actually managed to see over the last six months. (Literally. ¨Music and Lyrics¨ and ¨Shooter.¨ Grrr.) I had a lovely gesture-based relationship with the gentleman seated next to me. I handed him a pillow, he gave me a mint.

Asking about soccer has been an excellent way to get a quick window into the city. The cab driver who brought me in from the airport preferred Boca Juniors--the only team in the city, he informed me. It wasn´t even worth talking about anyone else. My hosts, on the other hand, squinched up their noses and explained that in their neighborhood, everyone supports River Plate. It´s a political thing, a class thing, they explained. ¨Like Republican and Democrat--Bush and Clinton,¨ they explained.

I´m staying in a very lovely apartment in a neighborhood called Belgrano with two very nice, helpful people--a couple about my age, Claudia and Maxi. They are very patient with my pidgin Spanish and took me on a nice walk around the neighborhood. They are out voting now in the city elections. I´m watching Forrest Gump play ping-pong--somehow, ¨lew-tenant Dan¨ just doesn´t sound the same! But it helps me get used to hearing Spanish. I´m sort of impressed with how much I understand, but at the same time I think my head might explode if I don´t get to speak or hear English soon. I can already tell that a headache has taken permanent residence in my head, at least for the next week or so.

That´s all for now. Another update soon!