Que te cumplas feliz! e Invierno

So this past Saturday was Alexis' 21st birthday party ¡Feliz Cumpleaños Alexis! She had her party at a friend's apartment close to the Plaza España. Now the first part was basically a previa which is when everyone drinks before going out dancing. There was Fernet, Quilmes, and Gancia, with Coke and Sprite to mix it with. They also had brownies with dulce de leche spread on top. (It was like a sweet mouthgasm with bite!)

Fernet is this nasty drink that's really popular here in Argentina, but it's too strong to drink alone, you have to mix it with something. Even when I had some that was like, one tiny spit of Fernet drowned in Coke, it tasted nasty. Although the taste is growing on me a little. I don't like it, but it doesn't bother as me much. I guess that what happens when it's frequently the only free drink at certain places. What's funny is that Fernet is an Italian drink apparently, and that it's all imported here, but I don't ever remember seeing or hearing of Fernet when I lived in Italy. I guess Argentina is what solely keeps that business going. It's also an herbal drink, and one of the CC-CS students concluded that the reason the Argentines drink it so much is to help their digestive tracts since they eat so much meat, which makes sense.

The one thing that made this party different from other Argentine parties that I've been to is that Alexis and her friend bought all the booze and food beforehand and didn't require anyone to brink their own drinks or money. (Taylor brought over Fernet and Coke anyway, and the bottle of Fernet got knocked over and spilled all over the floor.)

At about 1:30 we all left the apartment and all walked over as a group to Club Illia. On the way we were stopped by a traffic officer, not because we were doing anything wrong, but because he wanted a picture with Alexis, and then Doreidy. And of course when he was getting his picture taken, the traffic just went on behind him. (This is how most Police officers do their job here in Argentina.)

We all got in line and it moved pretty fast, even though it was long, and it wasn't a bad boliche really. Because we all managed to get in before 2 am we all got in free. (To get in free at ZEN you have to put your name on the list online and show up before 1am) And luckily there was a coat-check at Club Illia, only three pesos for my coat and scarf.

I stayed there with Alexis and some of her friends until closing time at 5am. A few people were trickling out and leaving early for different things. I know Taylor and Brian left about 45 minutes before I did to get a pancho. (A pancho here is a long hotdog with a lluvia de papas fritas which a bunch of tiny crunchy french fries that they cover the whole hotdog with.)

The line at the guadaropa took awhile to get through, but when I finally got my coat, I went outside and saw the huge crowds of people milling about on the streets exiting all of the boliches, and trying to catch cabs. I walked over to Avenida Velez Sarsfield where it was better lit and less crowded so I would have a better chance of catching a cab home. It was a pretty good night.

I know I've been saying how much I dislike boliches and don't really care to go to them, but the idea of going to one doesn't scare me as much as it did back in February when I had that one really crappy night. I think it's because now I have a game plan with friends before I go in, and I don't get nervous when I go to places that I have been to before. A lot of it for me is knowing what the boliches are like beforehand, and knowing that I can trust the whole group of people I am going with.

There are quite a few CC-CS that are having or have had birthdays here in Argentina. Taylor did back in February, Rebecca, Alexis, and Heike this month. Some of them have asked me when my birthday is, and what I plan to do. They look kind of disappointed when I tell them I already had mine waaay back in December. (And I already know what I'm going to be doing! Studying for finals and packing my bags for Christmas break!)

And winter really has arrived here in Argentina. The good news is, is that it doesn't get cold enough here to snow in the city. But I've been wearing my winter jacket these past two weeks. I brought a jacket, gloves, and two scarves down here in Argentina, but I don't have a hat. I guess that should prompt me to go buy Argentine knitting needles and yarn to make myself one to wear while I'm down here. But I'm going to hold off on spending until my trip to IGUAZU!!!!!!!!!!!

I am soo excited! And we looked at the weather report. It's up north, so it won't be as cold there as it is here when we go up. It would suck to go up and walk around the giant waterfalls and get wet and cold at the same time. I'm going up on Thursday and coming back to Córdoba next Wednesday. And the bus tickets are only 275 pesos for each way, and the hostel we're staying at is only 37 pesos per person per night (3 pesos is around 1 US dollar.) But the bus rides are going to be sooo long! The ride is going to be over 24 hours. My bus on Thursday leaves around 12:45 pm and we'll get to Iguazu around 1:30 pm the next day. I'm going to have to pack a good book, some snacks, and make sure my ipod is good and charged. I can't wait!

Also, sadly, Federica is going to be leaving us soon. Her last day is May 28, two days after I get back. But we get yet another exchange student in the house! We're having another college student from Texas, Megan, arrive on the 25th of May. (A day before I come back.) I don't remember if Megan is going to be here for one or two months, but she's taking classes here in PECLA I think. There's at least 2-3 universities that have their own private programs here at PECLA/UNC, outside of CC-CS.

I'll be writing again after I get back from Iguazu Falls! And I'll try to use my Gabriel's SD card reader so that I can post pictures with it!