So we arrived on Saturday the 5th of July to a cold and wet Argentina, but it was lovely despite the outside weather. My girls are thrilled to be at home with their dad and our rental home was left furnished and beautifully clean and ready to move into by our hosts William and Maria. Of course on Saturday I was hoping for an afternoon of rest, but that never happens with my husband, so it was showers, lunch and the DISCO. Now don't get too excited the Disco is not the dance, it is a local grocery store shopping chain here and quite satisfactory. Even if the only product I recognized was Hellmanns Mayo (and yes I did buy it) and Lay chips.. LOL.. again bought them. Most everything else is new and different and we will just have to figure out what brands we like. Finally after a grilled cheese dinner.. I was allowed to sleep.
Sunday we bought a car.. yup... petrified of driving so what do we do.. we drive!! to the Unicenter mall here on a Sunday at 4 pm. Remind me if I ever say I am going to the mall on a Sunday that I don't want to. Horrible traffic, got separated from Scott and somehow I was circling the parking lot for 1/2 hour stuck in traffic trying to return to the parking garage. When I finally get into the mall I was to meet my husband and kids at the Burger King.. easy enough, right?? well I stood there and stood there for about 40 minutes, found a security guard who spoke no English and cried that my phone didn't work and my husband was missing.. of course kidnapped by ninjas (cause my mind races).... finally a text.. who knew there were 2 Burger Kings in one mall?? Off to shop, only to give up because of the bazillion people in the mall.. 1/2 hour to exit the parking garage, burgers and shakes all around and then finally home. I am thinking I can easily say I feel ok driving here..
Monday.. lets just say finding any government building here is almost impossible.. and takes allllll day. Also much to my surprise NO ONE (ok almost no one) speaks English at the US Consulate.. who knew.. that was sorta the one place I thought I wouldn't feel so out of place at. After a very long day (yes we did make it back to the mall and shop.. whew) we did find this lovely little empanada shop here by our home. It is so lovely and yummy. Much like everywhere I go, the people here are so warm and inviting. Even with the language barrier they want you to enjoy your surroundings and learn a bit of Spanish and they take in any English words you will give them. I like that.
Tuesday.. despite my fear the girls and I do survive a trip to the Disco by ourselves.. hey it is outside the neighborhood (2 guardshacks)... It is sort scary.. NOTE TO SELF.. must learn more Spanish... stat
Wednesday I woke up sure I had made the biggest mistake ever and I broke down to my husband saying we must have been high when we thought this move was a good idea... but a day at the Tigre market buying goodies for the house, a good chiripan sandwich, lovely ladies at a spice shop, the fact that all of my 80 pieces of laundry were ready for me to pick up from the cleaners and some fresh pasta for dinner made me realize that it will be ok
(also a good friend 5,000 miles away that you know, sells your car while you are away, make the day seem all ok)
ohhhh and trash talking the Holland team with my boys (Jake, Sam & Tyler) isn't so bad either.. especially when Argentina takes the win..
so I guess I am writing this all down so maybe in like a month when I am homesick again I can read this and realize that if I can make the first 96 hours.. ahhh the rest is nothing..
the adventure is just beginning!!!
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