Well it is true... I have now been here for almost one month. 27 days to be exact. What have I done over this time? What will I be doing next? Has anything gone wrong? What has happened about meeting this guy? Have I seen much of Argentina yet? All these questions I hope to answer for you in the following paragraphs. What have I done over this time? What have I done over the course of four weeks in Buenos Aires (locally know as Baires)? The most succinct answer would be that I have been studying Spanish all this time. And it would be completely true. The very day that I arrived, I wandered into town and booked myself into the next course in Spanish, starting the next day. Actually it had already started, so I slotted in two days late and continued on with the course. I have been there ever since, every week day from 9am to 3pm. In the mornings I normally sleep until it is time to go to school. In the afternoons I spend the afternoon until dark doing my homework and studying in the parks of Plaza de Mayo, or Plaza San Martín, both located in the heart of the city. At night I watch movies, have visited YWAM, use the Internet, sleep, study more, and wander the streets of the city looking at all of the interesting shops and places here and still trying to make sense of it all. Weekends usually are a chance for some more sleep (can you see I either really love sleep or don't get enough of it during the week), time in the parks again reading my books and doing more study, and just aimless wanderings around the city. Today, A Typical Saturday As an example of what I do on weekends, today I had intended to wander out through Recoleta to the cemetery and nearby parks that sound really pretty. But first I went shopping for some things that I had been putting off, which took me a couple of hours. Since I had never shopped for these items before I needed to be sure I wasn't paying too much for them... which I was in some instances. Then, as I shopped I discovered a photography exhibition which I absolutely just had to see. It was fantastic. Right next to this exhibition was a Salvador Dali exhibition, who is one of my favourite artists, so I had to stop there also. By then it was too late to go to the cemetery and I headed to Plaza San Martín instead. What should I find there but another photo exhibition on large stands weaving throughout the park. Huge photos displayed many different places and people throughout the world, as seen from the air. It was very different and extremely interesting, and I joined the heavy crowds in trying to gain a viewing space of the photos. After feasting my eyes, I lay on the grass reading one of my newly acquired Spanish books (with electronic dictionary in hand) until it was dark. A local shopping centre provided dinner and allowed me to discuss with my phone company why I cannot send and receive text messages. Apparently it should be possible, so I will be pursuing this(*). After that I went and saw the movie "El Pez Grande (The Big Fish)" which kept me entertained for a couple of hours as I read the Spanish subtitles as fast as possible, trying to understand it all, and after this I am now here on the internet, writing to you. That was my day. Am I learning anything? So after all of these weeks of Spanish, am I learning anything? Well yes and no. I am certainly learning much and am able to read things now and understand much of what I am reading. I can hear and understand about half of what is said too, but in speaking I am not so fluent and often come to a grinding halt trying to think of the word or phrase to use to explain my thoughts. Still, I continue to try and am slowly seeing improvements. What will I be doing next? For now, it will be much of the same. More study. More wanderings. More emails. And making more friends. Since I am going to be living in this Spanish speaking country, it is imperative that I learn the language. So this remains my goal for as long as I am still in Baires (Buenos Aires). Has anything gone wrong? Everything has gone right actually. If you are referring to my timing for arriving here and meeting this guy (see below) then it is all going well. There have been a number of different things that have happened on the way to confirm to me that this is where and what I should be doing right now, and I feel very comfortable with this too, which is a good indication also. So all is very well right for now and I am looking forward to meeting this guy. What has happened about meeting this guy? Glad you asked that. Now you may or may not know, I am expecting to meet up with a guy here. He is someone that I have never met before in my life nor do I know through any other circumstance. The actual timing of when I meet up with him I am not yet sure, but that I WILL meet up with him I am absolutely certain. So now all I do is sit back, keep learning my Spanish and wait. The time will come when this happens, and I will be sure to let you know as soon as it does. Have I seen much of Argentina yet? Not really. Studying so much leaves little of the day to do much else, and I have not really cared to look around too far yet. After so much touring during my world travels I have been quite content to settle back into a daily routine. My feet are slowly starting to grow itchy now though, and I am now keen to get out and see what this amazing city has in the way of sights, so I will be heading out more soon. I have just purchased a Spanish kids book on tourist sights in Baires, and since it is for kids, I find it easier to read for me too. This has now become my guide for what to see and how to get there. There is much to see of this place, and I look forward to sharing some of my experiences with you as they happen. Until then, take care. Regards, Rob. (*) Mobile Phone Txting For those of you with mobile phones, try texting (and/or calling) me on this number instead: +5411 154-676-731 (54=Argentina, 11=Bs.As, 154676731=my number) ...and let me know how it goes. [EDITED: this number is no longer valid, but was left here for the sake of completeness. Please check the contact page for the current phone number].