A Rainy Day Thought: British Days in Buenos Aires.

So, I decided not to leave the house this afternoon. English classes were casually cancelled at the last minute which has given me time to reflect.

Our house is quiet and peaceful. Outside the rainstorm is roaring and the humidity is clouding my mind. On the TV all the news channels can talk about is the weather. It is hot, it is humid, it is basically uncomfortable. British weather people would call the climate “close”, but I am not a fan of this term. "It's rather close out int it??"
......It makes my face screw up slightly.
I am feeling the effects of the dear climate very well indeed, so I decide it’s probably best I turn off the television, as to not get annoyed.

The scene:

It is 6pm, and the parrot is talking and singing over the pattering sounds of rain hitting the roof. This is his hour you see. Let me explain, we have a bit of an animal farm in our house at the moment. We have a parrot, a dog, a bunny rabbit, a tortoise (my favourite), and my three 20 something yr old male cousins......

So, I’m sipping mate, listening to our parrot sing the Copacabana (not madeup) and pondering. . .

November is coming to a close, and the days are becoming hotter and hotter. Walking through Buenos Aires in 30 degree heat and 80 + % humidity can make one feel slightly strange. Especially while staring at colourful tinsel and all things sparkly, preparing for the festive season.

I still have to adjust. It is November, yet summer. The British side of me is totally confused and in panic. My inner Brit does not understand hot Christmas. I have only spent one Christmas away from London and dear Hertfordshire in my lifetime so far, but this was back in 1994. My mother, my sister and I came to Buenos Aires in December that year to meet the Argentine side of the family and spend the holidays with them. My inner chica Argentina was unleashed and by the end of the trip I was drinking mate like a native and eating crackers with jam at every given opportunity. I started to become used to new customs and ways of life.

We spent some time in Buenos Aires, where we stayed with our cousins, and then for Christmas and New Year, we moved to the seaside. We went as a unit to stay with my grandmother (la abuela “Quica”) in a town called Villa Gesell. This town by the sea is hugely popular in the summer for residents of BA, to escape the heat during the summer months. My abuela however, had already been a resident for some time when we went to visit.

It was a memorable experience in which my sister and I got a chance to meet some of my mothers most important friends, and we had some wonderful reunions on the beach during our trip. Every time we walked back from the beach my sister and I would count the amount of squashed frogs along the sandy roads, en route to our abuelas house (I think our record count was 30 something frogs along the way). Apparently drivers do not care much for small amphibian wanderers in Gesell town. Being 8 years old, skipping up a sandy road in summer counting frogs with big sis was excellent though.

So, those are my last references to what it is like to live through a hot Christmas. Going to the beach until 12/1pm when the heat really started. Coming back, having a shower, afterward having a barbecued lunch and singing Lion King songs. After lunch we slept the Spanish siesta through the hottest hours of the day, and played in the afternoons inside while the winds swept through the town.In the evenings we said hello to the frogs, had a late dinner and went down to town to buy friendship bracelets and eat ice-cream at 1am. (my mum is cool) Looking back, it sounds like a pretty good way to spend your Christmas. Especially the bit about The Lion King sing-song, that was a must.



Well, this year will bring whole new memories and a fresh perspective through eyes of a 23-year old with my Argy family. We will be together minus my sister and mum (who will be in The Shire) to toast on Noche Buena (Christmas Eve).

I get distracted and look outside again.

I think the parrot’s (his nickname is Lori, coming from Loro-Spanish for parrot) choir session is over for today, and while this saddens me...... I am also smiling inside.
This then brings to a close my daydream on this very British day. I will continue one day soon.

Hasta pronto,

M

British Days in Buenos Aires

I bought a new raincoat. I have a thing for rain macs, what can I say. Well I needed a neutral colour that wasnt a short mac. I left my black one in England; neutral colour, and well. So. I bought one in a vintage shop, had it shortened, and it has turned out to be some sort of saviour in previous weeks. . .


Sometimes you get caught by the rain. It is just inevitable. You take your umbrella, it doesnt rain, you wear your boots and its boiling hot. You decide, ok sandals, thin jacket - its going to be ok. . . Except it isnt, because sods law works against you remember. So it rains, you get wet hair, wet foot and a spring cold. lovely jubley.

More on this will follow shortly. Just thought I would share this much so far.

Hasta pronto

M

Spring in September

Hello there my dear blog readers.

Apologies for my absence these past months. Many funny, strange and odd situations have crossed my path in this time, which will eventually creep their way onto here for your reading pleasure.

It is September, almost October and all is well in Buenos Aires. There will be many updates coming your way in the near future so make sure you don’t miss out.

The weather is doing crazy things for us here. Winter is officially over, as we celebrated “Happy Spring Day” the other day :) - however yesterday it was a nippy 9 degrees and really humid, which did not make me feel very springy at all. Infact, my next piece is on "British days" in Buenos Aires. Yes, that’s right, more rain talk. . . .

Grab a cup of tea. 5 minutes. Feet... Up.

Enjoy.

M.

Rainy Days

Why is it that no matter where you are, rainy days make you think? The clouds petruding the sky fade our minds into a daze.......

Buenos Aires, where it doesn’t tend to rain too often (by British standards) today has closed its sky for a good old downpour. Yes. Buckets and buckets.There is no escape, you are going to get soaked – si o si.

The city quietens, saturated in puddles and streams of water, most people are immersed in and running through this cascadelike wetness.
The thing is, unless you have a car, (although driving in the rain is never the funnest in and around a big city due to the traffic it induces) rain causes difficulty for most who want to get about town: cyclists, buses, taxis... etc. Standing at the colectivo (bus) stop is no fun in the rain. Of course, if you dont mind dressing up in waterproof gear, (including shoes that dont leak) you could stroll to where you need to get to...

Now the problem with doing so in Buenos Aires is that raging city traffic shows no mercy for the pedestrian walking down the saturated pavement. There really is no escape.

Cast your minds to that moment when the driver of the vehicle, whatever size it may be, decides to stream right through that oily lukewarm river and cause a mini tsunami to slop all over you. This is bearing in mind you do have on your nice blue, tent-shaped Mountain Warehouse waterproof your mum insisted you wear. Good thing you listened to mum. (Despite your thoughts on how good you didnt look before you left the house....) Mum just saved your favourite jumper and jeans from the blackish grey slush of mud and grease from the road. She also saved you from turning up to work smelling like puddle. (You probably still might smell a bit like puddle – those jackets arent miracle workers...)


So today’s not a good day. Not feeling the best about inconsiderate hurried city drivers. Hating the fact that you have to walk through this misery....
Now, in London the tsunami puddle-smell incident probably would have gotten you to the height of humiliation on such a day. Buenos Aires however, provides one with a couple more fun adventures when walking down the street, to keep you on your toes you know.

Pavements here are owned by the building space allocated that particular spot. That is to say that each building needs to maintain their own pavement. Some buildings have beautiful entrances, and lovely patterned slabs all nice and straight, easy to walk on. (In flat shoes should we say, best not to talk about using high-heels in this city)

Occasionally though, owners of the pavement infront of their building decide that they dont wish to attend to their pavement stones... and therefore some are loose in places. The joke is: they appear as if they were well cemented. 
(Now whats coming is the gift of Sods Law and how it translates and follows you around the globe.)

Poor you... Already soaked from the 152 (Olivos-Boca) colectivo flying by you, in the way in which the good old 38 bus in London rips down Mare Street on a Sunday evening (with great flight and full speed ahead), you think you might have had your lot for today, and just want to get home really.

You look up, breathe, and then lose feeling in your ankle. Look down, and it turns out you have twisted it in a broken paving stone which has a pool of deliciously grey/green water under, which has just saturated your trainer. Yes that is right today you wore material trainers today because they were comfortable to walk in. The person in the shop said they were breathable. How ironic. So, I have found rainy days dont work well for pedestrians here.... I so need a car...........


Welcome to sods law in Buenos Aires. :)

Message number one to begin

Well I am not entirely sure who will be reading this, however it is the first time I am writing a blog so for those who are reading bear with me as I might be a little deprived of knowledge as to how this works...

Basically I am creating a space where I can put word out on my opinions and feelings towards certain issues, consequences and goings on while I am living in Argentina.

I moved to Buenos Aires just three months ago, this being my fourth time here and marking the longest time I have stayed here. My mum is Argentine, father English-part Indian but UK born. I was born in the UK and grew up bilingually. Now I live in Buenos Aires. This blog will basically serve as an account to different things I come across, that I wish to make comment about.

Those who do end up reading it, I hope you find it insightful hehe and dont hesitate to comment if you find what I write about, interesting.

Well for the introductory post, I think thats about it....

Hasta luego

M