Isabelle, Phil and I just arrived in Buenos Aires today; Daisy had to abandon ship very tragically super last minute due to complications with her visa - the Chilean bureaucracy has some serious explaining to do. Nevertheless, we had an amazing day with her yesterday, involving much hanging out, a trip to the cinema and a sushi dinner.
After a 5am start and two flights stopping over in Uruguay, we touched down in warm and sunny BA, and dropped off our stuff at the hostel before heading out to have a coffee and a gander at some guide listings and maps. Some coffee, dulce de leche, alfajors and cheese later we sauntered back and then got ready for a dinner at La Cabrera. Daisy had booked this restaurant for us, having heard it does some of the best steak in BA. We showed up (a touch late thanks to my malfunctioning internal GPS), loved the vibe right away, and ordered, being restricted by our slightly socially awkward waiter who informed us that we would have far too much in front of us if we carried on as we were.
The steaks arrived, looking a touch overwhelming as they were, along with some green side salads. Then came 4 little side dishes, some scrummy mashed veg and pickled things, as standard with the steaks. And some creamed spinach and delicious mustard sauce. And then we were brought some small vegetable sides too (I chose some baby sweetcorn with a sunblushed tom, which was just delicious). Soon our table was absolutely crammed with lots of these little tasters. And THEN a man at the table next to us decided to give us 2 bottles of wine, one white one red, after having only one glass of each.. (We reckon he was showing off but who's going to turn down 2 free bottles!)
I think it was probably the best meal I've had in months (not counting the home cooked yummy-ness of Zelma's kitchen, but that's in a league of it's own), and found myself so pleasantly satisfied, but not stuffed, that I even managed a mascarpone pavlova with red berries afterwards.
My grand total for the evening was... 12 english pounds.
Plus a 2 quid cover charge each and 10% service on top... But that was nothing given the luxury of the most divine and exciting meal in ages for what was overall 15 quid!!
I'm genuinely in shock.
I think it's fair to say Day 1 has been a success.
.......But it's nowhere near the same without Daisy... :(
Saturday, 7 May 2011
Tuesday, 3 May 2011
done and (almost) done
So I submitted my essays and translation exam to the online Blackboard system tonight (yay!), and about 15 minutes after I did so I thought, "Haha well for my first time using Blackboard I suppose that wasn't so bad. Would have been funny if I had taken all that easy clicking a bit too lightly and not checked my work out thoroughly before hitting 'submit'. Wouldn't it? Er, wait. I should probably check that."
And typically, I had left in an extra word in one of my translations, which may not sound like a big deal but it was my first answer and I KNOW that leaving multiple words is a HUGE no no (ie. not making up your mind and leaving options for the examiner to pick their favourite).
Having spent some hours whining in my head about having to write commentaries about why we translated the sentences as we did, I am now extremely grateful for it, because my commentary does refer to and point out the word I did want to use (even though my actual translation doesn't back it up).
Have already emailed out the emergency plea to the department just in case. God willing it gets understood as an error and not as me being an idiot...
Anyhow. That aside, the work is done!!
I went shopping this afternoon for some bits and bobs... Retail therapy definitely hit a spot in me today.
On another note, I was awake last night when the news of Osama's death came out and I felt really weird about the whole thing. I couldn't put my finger on it until I spoke to Daisy about it today. She sums it up perfectly.
Read what she has to say about it on her blog - Oui, c'est un blog.
UPDATE: Got an email back from King's and have resent my exam, phew!
Also thanks Daisy for pointing out my Obama / Osama typo... Seriously, their names..... it's a joke right? Can't believe I typo'd that Obama was dead, but it's understandable!!
And typically, I had left in an extra word in one of my translations, which may not sound like a big deal but it was my first answer and I KNOW that leaving multiple words is a HUGE no no (ie. not making up your mind and leaving options for the examiner to pick their favourite).
Having spent some hours whining in my head about having to write commentaries about why we translated the sentences as we did, I am now extremely grateful for it, because my commentary does refer to and point out the word I did want to use (even though my actual translation doesn't back it up).
Have already emailed out the emergency plea to the department just in case. God willing it gets understood as an error and not as me being an idiot...
Anyhow. That aside, the work is done!!
I went shopping this afternoon for some bits and bobs... Retail therapy definitely hit a spot in me today.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
On another note, I was awake last night when the news of Osama's death came out and I felt really weird about the whole thing. I couldn't put my finger on it until I spoke to Daisy about it today. She sums it up perfectly.
Read what she has to say about it on her blog - Oui, c'est un blog.
UPDATE: Got an email back from King's and have resent my exam, phew!
Also thanks Daisy for pointing out my Obama / Osama typo... Seriously, their names..... it's a joke right? Can't believe I typo'd that Obama was dead, but it's understandable!!
Monday, 2 May 2011
music to miss england to
Last night I had an insomniac moment and found myself unable to sleep until 5.30am. Had been feeling what I can only describe as numb and cloudy, which didn't really make a huge amount of sense until this morning when I went to church (arriving an hour late) and ended up hugely emotional and cried about 4 times. Think I've been storing up a lot of emotions this week as the end of my time here suddenly looms before me, and my list of things to do before I go gets longer and longer... And my sadness at leaving Viña rises to meet the longing I have to be back in London.
So here's some music to feel emotional to. Part one, missing England.
I love this Death Cab For Cutie track... I used to listen to it and pretend I had some American romance to whine about, and listen to the lyrics and play my own sort of cartoon-esque music video out in my head. But I realised last week that the tables have turned and I am now the one on the other side of the Atlantic. Pretty glad I didn't listen to this song in about January to be honest... This song used to make me feel emotional enough as it was, with my imaginary pining, let alone it being relevant.
This second one is a song I didn't previously know but I heard live with Phil and Samuel at Lollapalooza. The National are pretty rad, especially the latest album.
"You must be somewhere in London,
You must be loving your life in the rain..."
Brought me and Phil to a wet eyed trying not to actually cry state pretty much immediately.
Very excited to be home, but lots of adventures yet to come... Starting on Friday.
Will be back on the blog front from now on.
So here's some music to feel emotional to. Part one, missing England.
I love this Death Cab For Cutie track... I used to listen to it and pretend I had some American romance to whine about, and listen to the lyrics and play my own sort of cartoon-esque music video out in my head. But I realised last week that the tables have turned and I am now the one on the other side of the Atlantic. Pretty glad I didn't listen to this song in about January to be honest... This song used to make me feel emotional enough as it was, with my imaginary pining, let alone it being relevant.
This second one is a song I didn't previously know but I heard live with Phil and Samuel at Lollapalooza. The National are pretty rad, especially the latest album.
"You must be somewhere in London,
You must be loving your life in the rain..."
Brought me and Phil to a wet eyed trying not to actually cry state pretty much immediately.
Very excited to be home, but lots of adventures yet to come... Starting on Friday.
Will be back on the blog front from now on.
Thursday, 28 April 2011
beyonce made me a birthday present
I got 99 bloggles but Beyonce ain't (been in) one (until now.) (I think.)
Lily: you absolute legend for sending me this.
She's only gone and done a music video as part of Michelle Obama's Let's Move intiative... Down with fat lazy people, up with shakin' yo bootaaayyyyyy. My kind of health regime.
Learning it asap.
There is also a SPANISH VERSION. Taking this instructional video to the Chilean youths with intention. (Note when the song comes in the words are in. Spanish. She's such a g.)
Lily: you absolute legend for sending me this.
She's only gone and done a music video as part of Michelle Obama's Let's Move intiative... Down with fat lazy people, up with shakin' yo bootaaayyyyyy. My kind of health regime.
Learning it asap.
There is also a SPANISH VERSION. Taking this instructional video to the Chilean youths with intention. (Note when the song comes in the words are in. Spanish. She's such a g.)
Tuesday, 26 April 2011
perspective
I had dedicated last night to working and just couldn't bring myself to, then tried to get up at 9am today but turned the alarm off and conked out for another two hours. I am now sat here in an empty house with no distractions (for once!) and an afternoon begging to be worked in but I just. can't. slash. won't.
This is really taking its toll on me now. I have been in this tiny room for I think about 3 weeks now, since my attempts to try and study in libraries failed miserably upon discovering the one here in Viña and in Valpo are both closed... I am two down one to go (research already been started on the last one), and some more work needed on my translation essay too.
Last night I had tea with Zelma and Laura Dyson; the fewest of us that have been together in the house since everyone arrived 2 weeks ago. Zelma and I ended up talking about what it was like when I first arrived in October, and about Exequiel passing away. It was really nice to chat to her, it made me realise how long I've been here living with her, and just how fond of her I am. I do really feel at home here now, and for the first time I thought about how sad I will be to leave this house and my Chilean hostess.
It also gave me a bit of perspective: Zelma is still waiting for her pension to come through, 6 months after Exequiel's passing, and she was telling me that if it wasn't for me being here and paying rent she doesn't know how she would have coped financially. It seems really Godsent now in hindsight my arriving here one week before he died, not even thinking about me helping her have some company during the days, but from a purely financial perspective for her.
It's definitely been a nice wake up call to remember I am not just here to write essays and sit in a bedroom moving my laptop around as I search for wifi, but then I have lived here, with a family, and been through lots with them.
Although taking my eyes off my now trivial seeming essays is not motivating me to work now, is it??
X
This is really taking its toll on me now. I have been in this tiny room for I think about 3 weeks now, since my attempts to try and study in libraries failed miserably upon discovering the one here in Viña and in Valpo are both closed... I am two down one to go (research already been started on the last one), and some more work needed on my translation essay too.
Last night I had tea with Zelma and Laura Dyson; the fewest of us that have been together in the house since everyone arrived 2 weeks ago. Zelma and I ended up talking about what it was like when I first arrived in October, and about Exequiel passing away. It was really nice to chat to her, it made me realise how long I've been here living with her, and just how fond of her I am. I do really feel at home here now, and for the first time I thought about how sad I will be to leave this house and my Chilean hostess.
It also gave me a bit of perspective: Zelma is still waiting for her pension to come through, 6 months after Exequiel's passing, and she was telling me that if it wasn't for me being here and paying rent she doesn't know how she would have coped financially. It seems really Godsent now in hindsight my arriving here one week before he died, not even thinking about me helping her have some company during the days, but from a purely financial perspective for her.
It's definitely been a nice wake up call to remember I am not just here to write essays and sit in a bedroom moving my laptop around as I search for wifi, but then I have lived here, with a family, and been through lots with them.
Although taking my eyes off my now trivial seeming essays is not motivating me to work now, is it??
X
Monday, 25 April 2011
walt whitman
O the joy of my soul leaning pois'd on itself, receiving
identity through materials and loving them, observing
characters and absorbing them,
My soul vibrate back to me from them, from sight,
hearing, touch, reason, articulation, comparison, memory,
and the like,
The real life of my sense and flesh transcending my sense
and flesh,
My body done with materials, my sight done with my
material eyes,
Proved to me this day beyond cavil that it is not my material
eyes which finally see,
Nor my material body which finally loves, walks, laughs,
shouts, embraces, procreates.
identity through materials and loving them, observing
characters and absorbing them,
My soul vibrate back to me from them, from sight,
hearing, touch, reason, articulation, comparison, memory,
and the like,
The real life of my sense and flesh transcending my sense
and flesh,
My body done with materials, my sight done with my
material eyes,
Proved to me this day beyond cavil that it is not my material
eyes which finally see,
Nor my material body which finally loves, walks, laughs,
shouts, embraces, procreates.
From 'A Song of Joys', lines 98-103
Monday, 18 April 2011
TOM VEK
The man is back.
5 years after the stonker of a debut album that was We Have Sound...
A reminder >> Nothing But Green Lights >>
Finally. The next one is coming.
Single off the new album out in June >> A Chore >>
Could not be anymore hyped about this.
You know who I'll be listening to all day all week all month.
5 years after the stonker of a debut album that was We Have Sound...
A reminder >> Nothing But Green Lights >>
Finally. The next one is coming.
Single off the new album out in June >> A Chore >>
Could not be anymore hyped about this.
You know who I'll be listening to all day all week all month.
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