Vamos a Di Tella

Real classes have started, but the fun hasn't ended (yet). Monday was the first day of classes, but registration is on Friday. Argentinian colleges have a smart system where you get to sample the classes before you decide which ones you want to take. So this week I went to several different ones, and I think I'm going to take Latina America en el siglo XIX, Historia del Arte, and Politica y Economia. I wanted to take this other class called Conflictos Internacionales y Seguridad but the teacher talked really really fast, and it's a 4th year class, meaning it would've been a lot of work. All the BC people are taking Historia y Cultura de Argentina too at some other University with this really nice professor called Sergio. Classes are allright, I find them interesting it just takes a lot of effort to understand what the professor is saying at all times and take notes. Hopefully my spanish will improve now that I am actually hearing and speaking it everyday. Another downside is that the Argentinians mainly keep to themselves, and let the foreigners stick together. I've heard that divide sort of breaks down once the classes really start, and I hope that rumor is true.

In Buenos Aires there is a coin shortage, and this is a serious problem because the buses that are the main source of public transport only accept coins. The buses go everywhere and run 24/7 which is nice but sometimes it's a hassle to find enough coins. The strange paradox that 1 peso coins are worth more than 2 peso bills and occasionally 5 peso bills is a result of this, and we often find ourselves spending 5 or 10 pesos to receive coins back. My coors light can piggy bank is frequently broken into so I can get around; I guess there's just no saving in this city.

Even though classes started we've still been having fun. We recently went to the Recoleta cemetery. This is the coolest cemetery I've ever been too, and you either have to have been a famous Argentinian or really rich to get interred there. The place is full of old stone mausoleums decorated with intricate statues. The mausoleums are packed really tightly and you have to walk down narrow passages. It's subduing and a little creepy to meander through these passages knowing your flanked by many of Argentina's important people's final resting place. Also, there's a ton of cats there for some reason, almost like their guarding the dead and protecting their peace. Maybe the Ancient Egyptians knew something about cats that we have forgotten in the haze of modernity. Here's a sampling of the many pictures I took of the place.
Lamenting.
Forever on the outside.
Variety of statues.
The original sun salutation.
Plaque in someone's crypt-translates to something like When the word might die (if it dies) I will be waiting for you-again-behind the stone, next to the fallen moon, faithful to your wish to always love me beyond the hours and days, in total silence.
Evita Peron's tomb, there was a huge crowd in front of this one.
The Grim Reaper guards this family's crypt.
Nice contrast of old and new-one of the more ornate tombs.
This guy eternally has an angel watching over him.
Coexistence. If you liked these pictures I'm gonna try to put the rest up in a facebook album next week.

After the cemetery we went into Puerto Madero which is Argentina's newest neighborhood. Its ultra modern and stuff, and they actually filled up the river with cement and sod to create the place. We walked around a bit then went to TGIF's for happy hour. The menu was in english and the waitress wore flair. The food was mediocre and the service slooooooow. Needless to say I don't think we'll be going back there. A couple days later we went to the zooo! We were all excited to go too a spanish zoo and see all the animals. Dave portrayed our thoughts aptly when he said "I just wanna see everything!"
El puente de mujer-a pretty pedestrian bridge in Puerto Madero.
Onward!
Guardian of Buenos Aires.

Alas, we were disappointed. It was kind of run down, and all the animals looked really really sad. There was also thousands of people there and it was hot and the ice cream was bad. I did get to see some animals I had never seen like jaguars, a polar bear, a white tiger, toucans, (my favorite-they're beaks are HUGE) capybaras, and rhinos so it wasn't all bad. After about 30 minutes most of us were thoroughly depressed and had dreams of breaking the animals out and letting them roam free. Instead we left. I went to yoga for the first time with Hannah and Dan. Harder than I thought it'd be as I always assumed it was a bunch of girls stretching and calling it "working out." It was a legit workout though and I felt pretty good afterward. Definitely something I'll do again. The next day, this past sunday, I moved into a new apartment with Brenny, Dave, and Dan. Its on the 22nd floor and has a ridiculous view of the city. Also, we can see across the river to Uruguay from our balcony which is very cool. It's essentially a penthouse, and we got it for very cheap. Continuing to live it up, and manana I go to Carnaval, which will be the next post...if I make it back.
Statue at the entrance to zoo, only example of an animal looking happy in the whole place.
Polar bear- "I'm soooooo hot."
Toucans-I spent 5 minutes marveling at the size of their beaks, almost as big as the body!
A little Buddha sitting in the shade of his tree, I wonder if he's been here for 500 years.
How'd those Roman ruins get up there?
The Southeast view from our apartment (Click for big).
The Northeast view from our apartment (Click).