Back.

I'm back in the United States. There doesn't appear to be anything that I missed terribly or was happy to get back to. Instead there are things that I missing about other places, mostly Argentina. I miss the good coffee. I miss the spanish. I miss my love. I miss the clouds there. I miss things not being so easy, but having small hurdles to accomplish little daily things.

Here I'm seeing that: Americans are quite overweight. Quite. Strip malls are growing at an exponential rate. I had no idea they could pop up so quickly. My hometown is so completely changed that I don't belive I could navigate it, and I have no desire to. Americans talk loud, not only on their cell phones, but to the people right next to them. There is a failing effort to beautify the towns that have grown into small cities. All the cars here are new. All strip-mall parking lots, as well as mall parking lots are designed for people to get into their cars and drive from place to place. Pedestrian traffic is unwelcome and highly discouraged.

I'll be heading up to Oregon on Tuesday. I have a week to prepare for my trip to Ireland with my mother. We're going to Ireland (and hopefully we'll squeeze in Scotland and Wales) for 3 weeks. It's our first time travelling together, so I ask everybody to think good thoughts for us. Perhaps if you make a wish on a dandelion or an eyelash or over railroad tracks, you can make a wish for me. I promise to return the favor when you need a wish. I am thinking positive, that we're going to have a good time and things will go smoothly. The only pending thing that needs to happen before we leave is me getting a new drivers license. I need to take and pass the Oregon driving test sometime over the next week. I'm not worried, but some previous residents of California have been known to fail their first time around...

2 lessons from me to you

1. Do not, by any means, eat fried empanadas before boarding a bus of which condition and your seats are unknown. In the end, you will be pacing down the aisle of the bus hoping not to vomit. If you are lucky, you will recover after the bus stops and all will be good and fine. However, by experience I will tell you that you will not be lucky. You will befriend the bus station bathroom and delay your future travels for one day. So, even if you're hungry, don't let the empanadas tempt you. Even if they are from Pachamama.

2. Do not, by any means, get too comfortable. If you do, you are likely to have a lapse in judgement. In your lapse of judgement it is likely that some evil person will steal things from you. Something like your bag with your camera, wallet, and new llama pendant from someone special. You will be irritated, blame yourself, and have many annoying logistics to follow. So, even if you're having a wonderful day where you feel like everyone is wonderful and all you want to do is frolic and be happy and relaxed, remember that everyone is indeed not wonderful. Not only are they not wonderful, they will indulge in any opportunity they have to remind you of how unwonderful they are.

Things you might learn:

To be zen and acknowledge that things are just things, that you've really lost nothing of value other than your trust of people. And the llama, because that was special.

That you can speak spanish in a time of crisis. You can find the words you want, use them and people seem to understand you just fine. Thank goodness.

That you still love Argentina. It will take more than vomit and theivery to change your mind.

Salta

I've finally made it ou t of Buenos Aires. After a 20 hour bus ride I'm now in Salta, which is in the northwest of Argentina. It's a very small city and quite different from BsAs. Everything is beautiful and well kept. The grass is green, there isn't dogshit anywhere, people are friendly and there is fabulous scenery all around. We haven't done much yet, just wander around the city mostly, but we have a week to explore the area. We're both crossing our fingers that the weather.com report is wrong and it won't rain the entire time...