First I am going to share something light-hearted and funny, and then I will confess why I like talking to strangers (the sound effects here are of my mother panicking).

In Spanish class last week, my teacher, who is from Barcelona, asked us about the phrase "to be as happy as a clam." Basically she said it was ridiculous, and please do not ever try to say "estoy feliz como un almaje" while in Spain, if you would like to retain your dignity for the night. She asked us how clams could be happy... and no one is sure. One woman thought it was because they formed a sort of smiley face, and I had always thought it was because clams were content to sit in the sand and wait for a destiny of chowder. The version of this saying in Spain is "aburrirse como una ostra." To be as bored as an oyster. That one I can understand; if I was an oyster, I would indeed be bored, while the thought of waiting to become center stage at Ivar's doesn't quite do it for me. All in all though, I'm not in the habit of comparing my emotions to that of a shellfish!

Speaking of Spanish, it's different in Argentina. They use the vos form, which I never figured out even though I was there for a month. There is also a heavy Italian influence on the language there, so some common words like calle and pollo are pronounced differently. More or less, if you've been studying Spain Spanish or Latin American Spanish, you're going to have issues in Argentina. The other thing you can have a lot of issues with is trying to maintain an already rocky relationship via Skype with six hours time difference. Bueno suerte. And if you figure it out, let me know because I couldn't do it. Two weeks into my four-week trip to Buenos Aires, I was newly single and keeping things together fairly well considering the decision was mostly not mine. I also suggest avoiding the Skype break-up... it is really not sufficient in any way, shape, or form. Either way, it happened, and I am here flexing my heart muscles to show off my acquired strength.

By the end of the trip, I was exhausted from trying and failing to speak Spanish everywhere we went. Trying to think every single one of your thoughts in a foreign language, conjugate your verbs, roll your r's, or try to find something in the store you can point to, is hard work. On top of that, RW and I had stayed past the end of our class and rented an apartment in Palermo, but she left for the States two days before me. I know two days sounds like it should be nothing, but that was the most intense feeling of loneliness I have ever been through. No American friends left. No idea what the boyfriend was doing. Way too tired to explore and talk to people (hugely as a result of the first two).

A few weeks ago, I was at the International District bus station, and a small Asian woman came up to me with questions about her bus. It took me forever to figure out that she needed to get on the train to Tukwila, but she was so happy that I was patient, listened, and looked at the map with her. From the experience I just mentioned, I know I would be equally happy to be in her shoes. It's just nice to have someone to talk to sometimes.

Sidenote: Do not trust the South American mail system. Both RW and I arrived in BsAs with boyfriends, and immediately decided to send postcards to them, our roommates, and our families, covered with "I miss you!'s" Both RW and I left Argentina single. We were there in January. The postcards arrived in April. Que verguenza.