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I can´t believe how quickly my time is passing here...a true sign that I´m enjoying myself! Since this is my second time in Buenos Aries (I came here 4 years ago) I have really just been living the life of a Porteña rather than rushing around ticking off all the tourist sites...and the more time I spend here the more I think that I could actually live here. For a long time now I have wanted to live in a different country, one that provides a challenge in terms of a different language and culture...but one where I can still live a life that I am accustomed. As much as I loved Uganda I dont think I could ever live there long term. 6 months without water, toilet, shower, oven, fridge etc was fine...but I couldn´t do it long term. The richer residents in the capital of Uganda do live with more luxieries, however I don´t think I could ever justify living that way in a country where the majority of people live in such severe poverty ( I would just feel guilty the whole time). Now, I know that Argentina has its fair share of people living below the poverty line, but its no where near the scale of Uganda, and when you are in Buenos Aries you really could be anywhere - it has everything that you would find in a large European city (museums, art galleries, parks, restaurants, bars, cafes) with the addition of, in my opinion, a much more favourable culture. So much more emphasis is put on the social aspects of life here - of enjoying a good meal with friends/family, of actually spending time talking to one another and basically doing the things that give you pleasure! This is in contrast, again in my opinion, to the rat race world of London where the majority of people are rushing around trying to earn as much money as possible to buy a flat, or a car or the next iPod...and to spend the weekends in a drunken stupour - the thought of going back to that just bores me. I know living here would be different to what im doing now...and i´d have to get a job...and this city isnt particularly cheap to live in (when you compare salaries)...but it´s a thought at the moment, a serious one...

So, as i said above, I dont have much to report on in terms of ´things´that I´ve been doing as I´ve just been ´living´and enjoying myself! Last weekend I went kayaking on a river about an hour outside the city and chilled on the beaches that line the river banks (its a popular weekend spot for Porteñas wanting to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city). I had a tango lesson (the basic steps are pretty easy...i think!), and of course I have been enjoying the steaks, bars and clubs...a little too much actually - i keep forgetting Im 27, and not 21 anymore!! I´ve met some cool people (as you always do when travelling) and my Spanish is coming along...slowly!

I only have one week left of school (in hindsight 4 weeks is not enough time to learn a language - who would have thought??!) so I´m starting to plan the next part of my South American jamboree. First stop is Santiago in Chile to see Oscar, a good friend of mine that I met in Chicago through work...and then it´s on to Brazil for carnival and beyond! There are quite a few Brazilians at the Spanish school and the more i hear about that country, the more excited I get. If it´s half as good as everyone says, then i´m gonna have trouble leaving the place...and all the time I have put into my Spanish will be wasted, bugger!!

Hola!

I don't know what it is about this continent, but as soon as I land here (this is my forth time in South America) I instantly have a smile on my face. It just 'feels' right, like I belong here somehow. Maybe, as regards to Argentina, it is the amount of incredible meat that is available at ridiclous prices - steak that just melts in your mouth (it really is a meat-lovers dream, especially after 6 months barely touching the stuff in Africa). Or maybe it is the language that I love but, as yet (watch this space), cannot speak! Or maybe it is the relaxed attitude to life...the effort put into family and friend relationships...the music that just makes you wanna dance...and then again maybe it is the number of beautiful girls just walking around (even the ugly ones are pretty here!)...I think it's probably a combination of all these things that just turns my mouth into a permanent cheesy grin!

Ok, so, what have I been up to for the last couple of weeks? First up, a quick mention of my friend Agus, and her boyfriend Fran, that I am staying with. I met Agus at an Accenture training course in Chicago a few years ago and she, and her boyfriend, have just opened up their apartment and friends for me since I have been here. It's been great to stay with them and experience Buenos Aries through the eyes of a 'portena' (word for a person born and bred in Buenos Aries). I went with them to a friends house party in a rich suburb of Buenos Aries for New Years Eve (most locals either leave the city or have a house party for NYE), so while it wasnt quite the wild, crazy fiesta I had envisioned as NYE in Beunos Aries, it was a really nice evening - just relaxing in an incredible house, drinking and making home-made pizza in a proper wood burning pizza oven! The day after we soaked up the alcohol at a bar-b-q at Agus's family 'country house' (it was here sister-in-laws birthday) - this was a great experience in itself...and the amount of steaks cooked was just ridiculous (check the the pic i have uploaded!)...!

I have completed my first week of Spanish school and, although it's not easy, I am definitely improving...and am loving it! It's a small class - just 3 other students (an old American couple and a young guy from Sweden - who, incidently, isn't that impressed with the women here - which just confirms the fact that Sweden really is spoilt in that respect..!). The school itself has over 200 other students and organises lots of 'extra-curricular' activities - which is a great way to meet the other students. So far I have been to an open-air percusion concert (quality), played 5-a-side football (was great until I sprained my ankle - honestly I had 6 months of playing on un-even surfaces in Africa with guys who were indestructable, and I didnt get injured once..then, 10 minutes on an indoor, purpose-built, 5-a-side pitch and I sprain my ankle - ridiculous! ...Luckily it's not affecting my dancing, i can still wiggle my top half!), and, or course, I have also been to numerous restaurants, bars and clubs (you have to, this is Buenos Aries baby!). Next week I'm gonna to do a spot of Tango (assuming my ankle holds up)!

Just a note on the culture of going out here. Clubs and, indeed, bars don't even start to get busy until 2am in the morning - the time when most people in the UK are dragging their limp, weary, alcohol infested bodies home to bed! It's crazy - you go out to dinner around 10pm, finishing around midnight, have a few drinks in the 'warm up' bar(s) of choice, then hit the clubs around 2am (and continue until you drop..!). It's tiring, but great, as you end up having two or three nights in one - you can go to dinner with one set of friends - meet another set of friends for drinks in a bar - then go to a club with a third group of people...all of which means you have plenty of oppotunities to practice your Spanish with different chicas (purely to improve my Spanish you understand!) ;)

Today I am moving out into an apartment with other students - big Thank You to Agus and Fran for being such great hosts and letting me stay for the last couple of weeks. I need to get used to packing and unpacking my backpack again for when I set off on the gringo trail, but the thought of doing it today in 32 degree heat (did i mention that the weather has been beautiful?!) is not a nice one. Anyway, I'd better get on with it, signing off from a city where even the girls that work in McDonalds are cute...!