Well hello there,
Well some decisions have been made and seems for now we have some sort of purpose to this journey! As of now the plan is to head down South in the Patagonia region to work on an equestrian ranch. There might be some confussion when reading this statement as in my last post I said that we were going there already. However, we got side tracked and decided to go to the town of Quequen, a small beach town on the East coast of Argentina as we had no reason not to. While here we got word via email from a dude that we have been corresponding with about working on his ranch and after careful consideration he gave us the go ahead to come on down. That being said, the truly confusing part is that we are paying him to work on the ranch. Just as I was settling into unemployment I went right back to it, sans the gainful part. Once down there we will work along side the native indians building fences and cabins on the ranch. The very minimal fee that we will pay does include our room and board, but the idea behind this is the total immersion experience that will hopefully give me the ability to speak the language better. I am sure the experience will be great as we will be moving around on horse through the mountainside and have the weekends to enjoy the ranch and all of its amenities. My only hope is that the boys down there have the same work ethic as the Kansas City Water Department does. I know of at least two people (My old man and my Tio Juan) who are questioning my sanity at this moment but let me assure you that it is as in check as it ever will be. Give it till about week two of this experience before it is totally gone.
Big thanks and hello to all those who have contributed to the post comments that is the thing I like best about this blog site. Sorry that I don´t post more often but would anyone really want to hear from me daily excluding my mother? For the next month as I will be predominately camping in the mountainside it will be difficult for me to have any contact with the outside world so I will say goodbye until then. Also, if anyone could figure a way to send vaccumed packed Peanut wings and ranch dressing that would definietly insure them a way cool souviner from me. I´m thinking a really neat rock from the mountains would do the trick. (I know my boy Da Mask ears just popped up, don´t worry I´m taking care of it!) Goodbye for now and don´t forget to take care of your bad self.
Most Fondly,
Petro
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Bustin out of Bueno
Well the time has come for us to make the next move on this journey. While I will always have a special place for Buenos Aires in my heart I am ready to find more of an adventure. Not to say that there was a lack of exciting times in BA. Like the time I was bitten by a dog, having my toe broken by a big girl on a barstool or the spider bite on my shoulder that I am currently wondering if I should have checked out. I will miss the people too, like the German guy in our hostel who came down with Dengue fever (I was somewhat glad for this because it forced him to go to the the hospital, he smelled and I was scared of him). I am only half kidding when I put BA in a bad light. I would suggest this city as a must see when traveling to South America. The culture and sites are fascinating, the people are all to friendly, the food and wine are great (Some of the best steaks I have ever had) and it is incredibly cheap for a major metropolis.
Next stop, Bariloche! Bariloche is a popular destination for backpackers because it is a launching point to travel the Patagonia region. We will leave BA tomorow via a 20+ hour bus ride and arrive sometime the next day. There I hope to hike and camp in the surrounding national parks. Also while we are there I would like to go white water kayaking and if we can manage rent dirt bikes and explore Patagonia in the style of Che Guevara. We will continue to look to get work on some type of equestrian ranch as this would be the area to find such work. The idea behind doing this would be to fully immerse ourselves in the language as our Spanish is still lacking and thereby crippling our freedom outside of the tourist areas. I will update you when I start to get a clue as to what life has instore for me once there.
Lastly, I awoke the other night to find Brian halfway under my bed fully immersed in another night terror episode. I am still waiting for the person responsible for this to come forward. I will continue to bring him back from the dark areas that his mind allows him to go but I wan~t some answers!
Your Chico Pietro
ps I am in the process of trying to get pictures uploaded into a slide show format on this site but it has been difficult for me to figure this out as I am not the computer guru that you wish I were. I have no idea what the current slide show pictures are.
Next stop, Bariloche! Bariloche is a popular destination for backpackers because it is a launching point to travel the Patagonia region. We will leave BA tomorow via a 20+ hour bus ride and arrive sometime the next day. There I hope to hike and camp in the surrounding national parks. Also while we are there I would like to go white water kayaking and if we can manage rent dirt bikes and explore Patagonia in the style of Che Guevara. We will continue to look to get work on some type of equestrian ranch as this would be the area to find such work. The idea behind doing this would be to fully immerse ourselves in the language as our Spanish is still lacking and thereby crippling our freedom outside of the tourist areas. I will update you when I start to get a clue as to what life has instore for me once there.
Lastly, I awoke the other night to find Brian halfway under my bed fully immersed in another night terror episode. I am still waiting for the person responsible for this to come forward. I will continue to bring him back from the dark areas that his mind allows him to go but I wan~t some answers!
Your Chico Pietro
ps I am in the process of trying to get pictures uploaded into a slide show format on this site but it has been difficult for me to figure this out as I am not the computer guru that you wish I were. I have no idea what the current slide show pictures are.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
The other side of the story
Buenos Tardes, and los sientos for not posting lately but I have been super busy at the camp I`m volunteering at (the hostle). Where do I began as this may be my last post as the computer game that the kids are playing next to me right now has seem to caught my interest. Well bad news down South the night manager at the Hardrock Cafe said that "I´m not Hardrock material, because I do not posses the American qualities they are looking for" just my luck! So it looks like it back to pounding the pavement for ol´Petro. On the lighter side of things the pool was drained and cleaned at the hostle which is a good thing.
As my friend Brian had mentioned in his blog he has been having a rough go getting some sleep as of late. Three of the six nights we have been here Brian has awoken from his slumber in a somewhat violent manner yelling things like "Hey..hey where am I" or my favorite "who is that" The first time this happened I could not have been nicer as I talked BQ down and got him back to bed. The second time I simply said in a loud voice that "nobody is out to get you go to bed". The last time this happened I think I was a little over the top as I yelled "BQ shut the ---- up and go to bed you cry baby". Needless to say the next morning I felt bad about this and was quick to apologize, it was unnecessary. I just want to know what "Special" uncle is responsible for this, the silience is killing my friend.
Other than that we have just been enjoying ourselves in Buenos Aires. We are both taking private intensive language classes everyday here and they seem to help. Today I was able to order lunch without having to point to my stomach and make a hungry face. Next stop will hopefully be Cordoba, Argentina where we are trying to find work on a dove hunting ranch and continue to nail down the languge. More later, my ipod just died and I realiezed that the entire internet cafe is full of kids playing the game I was talking about. It sounds like somebody just busted open a Pinita (spelling ?)
Your Chico Pietro
As my friend Brian had mentioned in his blog he has been having a rough go getting some sleep as of late. Three of the six nights we have been here Brian has awoken from his slumber in a somewhat violent manner yelling things like "Hey..hey where am I" or my favorite "who is that" The first time this happened I could not have been nicer as I talked BQ down and got him back to bed. The second time I simply said in a loud voice that "nobody is out to get you go to bed". The last time this happened I think I was a little over the top as I yelled "BQ shut the ---- up and go to bed you cry baby". Needless to say the next morning I felt bad about this and was quick to apologize, it was unnecessary. I just want to know what "Special" uncle is responsible for this, the silience is killing my friend.
Other than that we have just been enjoying ourselves in Buenos Aires. We are both taking private intensive language classes everyday here and they seem to help. Today I was able to order lunch without having to point to my stomach and make a hungry face. Next stop will hopefully be Cordoba, Argentina where we are trying to find work on a dove hunting ranch and continue to nail down the languge. More later, my ipod just died and I realiezed that the entire internet cafe is full of kids playing the game I was talking about. It sounds like somebody just busted open a Pinita (spelling ?)
Your Chico Pietro
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Funny thing about that...
I am beginning to think Americans have it ass backwards. Don´t worry I am not renouncing my homeland in any way. There are just a few things that I would like to see changed by the time I get back. As many can attest Petro is not one for the morning and the great thing about that is I have yet to particapate in one down here. I am convinced that the little mouse in my head does not even get on the wheel until 2:oo pm at the earliest. The schedule just works for me down here. Today I had my morning Cafe Leche at 2:30 and I´m just now staring to think about lunch and it is almost 6:00. I don´t see why it is a big deal to start your day later as long as you start it and finish it later. The Argentine also seem to put a huge emphaisis on down time and that is right up my alley (Note: This notion my be slighty skewed as I am baseing this off the time I have spent hanging around the hostel). Lastly, although I would be terrified to do it just yet the driving here just seems to make sense. I have always said that when operating a vehicle it should be up to the indivual to drive within their comfort zone. Here stop lights are merely a suggestion, it appears you can drive as fast as the sitution will allow and weaving in and out of traffic adds a certian element of excitement to driving that I so desire.
That being said I´m not giving up my passport just yet. I just wish we could embrace some of their customs (especially empanadas; meat and cheese stuffed pastries). However, there are some customs of ours that I wish the Argentine would embrace. For example not allowing your dog to take a shit wherever he darn well please. Poo poo is everywhere here. True story; I was having my afternoon cafe today and this chico walks by with his perro and the dog stoped five feet from my table and took a steamer right there, then the dude just walked away like it was nothing. It is disappointing to say but Buenos Aires is really dirty, it is almost as if they have no idea of our current global sitution. It is a crazy great city with much cultrual significance and beautiful sights but there is trash and dookies everywhere. It is smilar to the scene in Anchor Man where Ron and the boys are walking through a beautiful park taking a strolling lunch and disgarding their trash as they walk.
Last night we went about town for our first real night out. A group of us from the hostle all Americans started the night at our villa with dinner and much Quilmes (local beer, good too I might add). About 3:00 am we decided it was time to head out to the clubs as they are just opening at this time ( I believe that Uncle Joe had his alarm set for an hour later to get the first crack at the obituaries). We went to a diso teca where we had a great time dancing and taking in the latino energy. All was going smashingly well until Brian and I started a "U-S-A" chant and a crowd of over 400 stopped dancing all at once... (If anyone is actually still reading this that did not really happen, although for a split second anyone reading this was shaking there head and thinking "Not again Petro"). I can´t promise you that when I go to have Chili Cheese fries and Budwiesers at the local TGIF tonight that that will happen. The night ended with us getting into a cab about 6:00 am and tucking ourselves in to our shared loft in the sweltering heat. All in a days work!
Still Really enjoying unemployment.
Petro
PS Kepp your fingers crossed I just dropped off my application to bartend at Hardrock Cafe down here. I would have to cut my hair so I´m pretty torn over the whole thing.
That being said I´m not giving up my passport just yet. I just wish we could embrace some of their customs (especially empanadas; meat and cheese stuffed pastries). However, there are some customs of ours that I wish the Argentine would embrace. For example not allowing your dog to take a shit wherever he darn well please. Poo poo is everywhere here. True story; I was having my afternoon cafe today and this chico walks by with his perro and the dog stoped five feet from my table and took a steamer right there, then the dude just walked away like it was nothing. It is disappointing to say but Buenos Aires is really dirty, it is almost as if they have no idea of our current global sitution. It is a crazy great city with much cultrual significance and beautiful sights but there is trash and dookies everywhere. It is smilar to the scene in Anchor Man where Ron and the boys are walking through a beautiful park taking a strolling lunch and disgarding their trash as they walk.
Last night we went about town for our first real night out. A group of us from the hostle all Americans started the night at our villa with dinner and much Quilmes (local beer, good too I might add). About 3:00 am we decided it was time to head out to the clubs as they are just opening at this time ( I believe that Uncle Joe had his alarm set for an hour later to get the first crack at the obituaries). We went to a diso teca where we had a great time dancing and taking in the latino energy. All was going smashingly well until Brian and I started a "U-S-A" chant and a crowd of over 400 stopped dancing all at once... (If anyone is actually still reading this that did not really happen, although for a split second anyone reading this was shaking there head and thinking "Not again Petro"). I can´t promise you that when I go to have Chili Cheese fries and Budwiesers at the local TGIF tonight that that will happen. The night ended with us getting into a cab about 6:00 am and tucking ourselves in to our shared loft in the sweltering heat. All in a days work!
Still Really enjoying unemployment.
Petro
PS Kepp your fingers crossed I just dropped off my application to bartend at Hardrock Cafe down here. I would have to cut my hair so I´m pretty torn over the whole thing.
Friday, January 11, 2008
Nobody told me they speak Spanish down here!
Greetings to all,
They let me in! I am happy to say that after a day and a half of traveling I arrived in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Life is good down here thus far. We are in the summer months so the weather is hot, similar to that of a an August day in Kansas City. BA is huge, 13 million people reside here over 1/3 of Argentina´s population. We arrived at 4:30 am (BA time/4 hours ahead of central time) weiry from a long travel and immeditley sought out shelter. We stayed at a downtown hostel where I tired staying awake through the day to get right with the schedule; my sanity was in question by late afternoon.
Onward, today spirits are high I slept a good 15 hours and we have found more permanent accomatdations (When I say more permanent I mean for the week). We have rented a bedroom in the Monseratt district in downtown BA. Rents cheap about $7.00/day and the place has a blow up pool like my main man Ol´Boys so you know I´m happy. Thge place is hilarious, somewhat reminds me of what I invision Mark Paul´s (Chilsnick) dream place to be. Comfortable seating everywhere, open kitchen, outdoor bathrooms, large loft like feel and people from all walks of life are encouraged to join in on the fun.
The one thing your boy Petro be struggling with is the obvious language barrier. My first response when asked a question usaully is to look completly dumbfounded, then I immedietly star speaking in my native tounge. However, the system does seemsbe working so far. We are getting ready to take an intensive language program, so we got that going for us.
Chow Petro
PS I think all old monitors and keyboards are sent down south
They let me in! I am happy to say that after a day and a half of traveling I arrived in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Life is good down here thus far. We are in the summer months so the weather is hot, similar to that of a an August day in Kansas City. BA is huge, 13 million people reside here over 1/3 of Argentina´s population. We arrived at 4:30 am (BA time/4 hours ahead of central time) weiry from a long travel and immeditley sought out shelter. We stayed at a downtown hostel where I tired staying awake through the day to get right with the schedule; my sanity was in question by late afternoon.
Onward, today spirits are high I slept a good 15 hours and we have found more permanent accomatdations (When I say more permanent I mean for the week). We have rented a bedroom in the Monseratt district in downtown BA. Rents cheap about $7.00/day and the place has a blow up pool like my main man Ol´Boys so you know I´m happy. Thge place is hilarious, somewhat reminds me of what I invision Mark Paul´s (Chilsnick) dream place to be. Comfortable seating everywhere, open kitchen, outdoor bathrooms, large loft like feel and people from all walks of life are encouraged to join in on the fun.
The one thing your boy Petro be struggling with is the obvious language barrier. My first response when asked a question usaully is to look completly dumbfounded, then I immedietly star speaking in my native tounge. However, the system does seemsbe working so far. We are getting ready to take an intensive language program, so we got that going for us.
Chow Petro
PS I think all old monitors and keyboards are sent down south
Saturday, January 5, 2008
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