Octoberfest

This weekend I decided to let some stress off and take an adventuer. A friend of mine, Joseph from New Zealand, invited me to go to Villa General Belgrano, pretty much a German colony here, for Octoberfest. He told me Friday morning and we had to leave Friday afternoon on a bus, so it was short notice. But my host parents thought it would be a great experience and literally 5 minutes after I asked them about it I was heading into town to meet him. Elisabeth from Texas came too, and we all took a bus to the city. About 2 and a half hours.
When we got there, things were crazy. It was a beautiful European style town with awesome shops and stuff (see pics on facebook). We wandered around, then decided that even though it was a little bit expensive, we were going to buy Octoberfest Beeer Mugs, authentic. I bought a nice sized black one with gold and silver emblems on it that say Octobefest 2008, Villa General Belgrano Argentina and Germany. We then entered the festival. These people really like there beer. There were more types being displayed than I knew existed by far. Even though the festival was to celebrate beer, it was interesting in other aspects. First, they had performances from some really random countries. Arabic dancing, and even a Ukranian troupe haha. Also, it was a large tourist attraction so we got to see other people from other countries walking around. The atmosphere was very relaxed and festive. Even though I wasn´t drinking out of my mug, carrying it around with my little mug strap (thats right, they come with shoulder straps so you can just sling it around your back haha) made me feel a part of the festival, and it was fun to raise your mug to other tavelers, even if you didn`t have anything in it.
Later that night we took a bus back towards home. I was invited to spend the weekend in Alta Gracia with Josephs family, so Joseph and I got off in Alta Gracia and Elisabeth went back to Còrdoba. The rest of the weekend was relaxing. I got to play ping pong for the first time in forever at a club on Saturday, and tried a game called Paddle. Paddle is played with tennis balls on a court roughly half the size of a tennis court, with a tennis net...but the paddles are short and fat and solid. There are back walls to that you can bounce the ball off. It was different, but fun. That night we went to a friends birthday party, which was nice. Sunday was also relaxing, and Elisabeth came to Alta Gracia to hang out with us. Monday morning Elisabeth and I took a bus back to Còrdoba. A very fun and unforgettable weekend in Argentina.

Yom Kippur

Wednesday night I attended Yom Kippur service at a small synagogue in the center. Jewish festivals here are kind of dangerous with the Anti-Semitism, so there were lots of police around the synagogue. Just to get in, I had to answer a series of questions about Judaism, including my Bar Miztvah, what holiday we were celebrating, why I was in Argentina, what street I was living on...basically they just confirmed I wasn´t a terrorist and I actually knew something about the city and the religion. Then I had to show my passport. Once inside...I politely stood at the back of the synagogue for a bit to get aclimated. Everyone was looking at me, and I guessed it was because of my natural beauty and presence, right? WRONG. I kinda forgot that most synagogues are separated between men and women...it turns out I spent 10 minutes standing in the women´s section. Hurray for me. So when I finally figured that out and moved to the mens section things settled down. The ceremony itself was interesting, but uneventful. They didn´t have instruments or even tone. It was more wailing and shouting than singing, but I recognized a lot of stuff anyways. Thats pretty much all that happened. The ceremony went on for a while, ended, and I went home. Im glad I got to see that though. It was definetly a new experience.

Over a Month Down and Stressing Alot

Well...I have been here for almost a month and a week now. It has been an amazing experience so far. Here is what happened this week...
Thursday I started basketball. I decided Rugby was too dangerous because I don´t want to miss out on any of my year to injury, so I joined my host brothers club in the Promocionales team. Its a team of 17-18 year olds, and it seems pretty fun. I haven´t played basketball since elementary school, but I am not actuall that bad. Friday, I had another basketball practice. In basketball, I am using muslces I haven´t used in a long time in new ways, so I have been pretty sore since Thursday. Everyone tells me that this will pass. I hope that is true. Friday night I was invited to a house party but didn`t go, seeing as I am not a huge fan of just drinking alcohol.
Saturday was...eventful. This is gonna take some explaining so hold on tight. Tanager is a girl who goes to Ashland high school who was a debater. Policy debate, not my style. During our years of debate we knew who each other were, but never actually talked. When I started Rotary, I met Alyssa. Alyssa is the other girl from Oregon going to Argentina. We are good friends. Turns out Tanager and Alyssa are best friends. It also happens that Tanager also is going to Argentina for half a year. So this weird triangle of people all wound up in Argentina...and Tanager came to my city Saturday morning to work some stuff out with her program. Well I met her in the center...and we had never actually met before. So meeting someone you know all about from your friends and through debate and who knows all about you for the first time in a foreign country randomly is really weird. But we had fun that day and all went out later that night. We went first to a bar to a birthday party, but none of us liked the atmoshpere, and since I dont drink I got the group to go to a club, the same club I went to the first time I went out in Cordoba, the Mitre. It was crowded and dirty. Sometimes I forget why I go out to clubs...I always end up going out slightly angry. All of you back home probably can`t imagine club life cause it doesnt exist there. But in clubs, everyone is kinda crazy. All the stupid drunk guys walk up to random girls and try to dance with them or kiss them. That to me is extremely annoying because I have way too much respect for girls to ever try that. But its so normal here girls expect it and it works...that makes me angrier. The music was decent. Tanger however has shock blond hair, blue eyes, and looks stereotypically American, so she got mobbed my Argentinian guys and I couldn`t hang with her the whole time. Then...something funny happened. I was talking to a girl who asked me where I was from because she heard me talking in English. After a few drunk guys wandered up to her and tried to dance, I remarked to her that to me all the guys here seem over aggressive...Well apparently that means I am gay. She proceded to introduce me to all her gay friends...that was just awkward. I got out of there quick. Now I know to keep my opinions about respecting women to myself...because unfortunately it is such a cultural norm here eve the women expect it.
After the club, I walked Tana back to where she was staying, and proceeded to head out on foot to find a taxi (this was about 530 in the morning). THERE WERE NO EMPTY TAXIS IN THE CITY THAT NIGHT. I walked basically through the entire city of Cordoba without getting a taxi... and at 7 in the morning, when the trolleys start working, I took a trolley to my house...but I was pissed. I spent and hour and a half walking around the city in the cold just barely missing every empty taxi I saw. It was all bad luck. Then to make it better...the next day the whole family took an outing to a nice little town for a big lunch...and a big walk. I had fun...but I am exhausted so I think I am going to sleep now. Chau