Last Piece of the Puzzle

I've been mentioning enough times about my new home so here we go!! First off, I am not living in San Telmo...I know I know how I said I reeeeally wanted to live there...but after some thoughts and numerous visits of potential new home, I realized that the current crazy-inflated prices and (disappointed) stagnant quality just not cutting it. However, I did pick a barrio that is just a 10-15mins bus/subte ride away. It's very residential, very local. Nothing touristy about it, which is a plus. AND there is a very traditional and well-known tangueria (where people go dance tango) super close to me. I didn't know until the owner told me about it and right there, on top of it being such a wicked house already, I knew I've found the place I can call home for the next few months.

The owner rents out rooms at this place so basically we are a bunch of people sharing this big house. Currently 6 of us, all are foreigners, from all over, here to stay for a while to travel, to work, to learn Spanish, to experience... My room is not very big, actually smaller than my old room, but it's definitely cozy, and I have a DOUBLE BED! I didn't even have a double bed at home. Sweeeet! Since the house is huge, there are tons of room to hang out outside of my room. Given we have wifi, I can take my computer anywhere and satisfy my cyber-addiction. Sweeeeet!

We have a cleaning lady here for most of the week, so yea, we'll be spoiled for sure, and I'll cook more in the big kitchen since washing dishes won't become an issue. eheh I did cook for my first time here yesterday and it felt good that I could finally really control what I put into my body. (Not that I'm super healthy but I do try and I had veggie today. Mom are you listening?) My good friend microwave is currently out of service which is a little bummer but hopefully it'll get well soon.

Are you ready for another awesome 'facility' we getta enjoy here? We have a projection TV with many many many channels!!!! And I CANNOT wait to watch tennis on it. I'd be so close to Federer, Djokovic, Gonzalez, Gasquet, Blake...mmmm niice.... sorry I digress. The bathrooms are white, modern, and most of all, clean (by our awesome cleaning lady eheh).

So I guess it's pretty obvious that I gave up my hippie-style and go in-style. Not that I got weak, or may be a little after a week of torture-like incidents (I'll save you from the awfulness of it for now), I did think that since I'm not only here for a few weeks, I really need a place which I can look forward to return to and have a good sleep every night. I have to also say though that luck has really been on my side so far that I scored this super cool place without having to break the bank. This deserves another Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet for sure!!

Connected once again

Got in yesterday afternoon. A local friend whom I´ve met last year when I was here came to pick me up with a remis (car service). Lots and lots of thanks to him because it'd be much more difficult for me to get from point A to point B with 4 pieces of luggages and broken spanish with a very exhausted mind. I settled down in my rented room at around 9-ish (expected to be able to move in at around 5-ish pm but this is AGAIN Argentine 'time' so ya, 4 hours later), and it finally hit me that I'm here. I started to freak out a bit and it was really the first time I felt worried and scared about all these. Anyway, with no internet or TV at my new home, I decided to close my eyes and sleep it off.

Sleeping always helps! Got up, energized, got some money and I went to get a SIM card (refer to as el Chip here). 15 minutos later, voila! I´m connected and normal again!! The chip costed me 20 pesos and then just needed to add money to it by buying a card with the PIN at any kiosko. They come in different amounts and I got a 15 pesos one that should last me a while. Texting out costs 0.17 pesos and calling out costs 0.55 pesos , and I believe even receiving calls doesn´t cost me a dime except if someone calls me from a payphone. So sorry if you´re calling me from a payphone...

As you can see, my room really is just a room. Nothing stellar. The most colorful places are el baño (bathroom) and la cocina (kitchen). We use gas stove here and need the flicker (how do you call those?) to get the fire going. At least the owner has one of those, last year when I was at my friend´s place, we used matches. Yes matches! Scared the crap out of me at first but slowly the ´excitement´became an addiction. I´d boil water just so I could show that I could do it.

For the price I´m paying right now for this room and being in Congreso (a very central location), it´s really an absolute steal so I´m not complaining for having a roof over my head. (Please don´t let this scare you away from visiting. There are many super nice places you can rent from that will make your jaw drop. I am just going hippie style over here and watching my wallet.) Nonetheless, I am going to look for a new home very soon since the agreement to this is only for 2 months, and I still really really want to live in my favorite barrio (neighborhood), San Telmo. More on that later.

Top picture: Disclaimer - that Jack Daniel bottle you see on the desk was filled with water. I freaked out but not that freaked out.