Not a ton to add today, but I am not quite ready to go to sleep yet. Plus, I think everyone in the house is already in bed, so I don't have anyone with whom to socialize (too formal of a construction? English teacher, remember?).
That said, I figure I will just give a brief (relatively speaking) update on classes and day to day life. Before I move on, though, I would like to draw some attention to the picture at the right. If you can't tell, you might want to click on it for a better view, but I am in fact sleeping, in my travel sheet - used to protect me from the harsh, unsoftened hostel bedsheets; random creepy-crawleys that might consume the entire outer layer of my epidermis (rather than just the exposed upper half); and a host of fluids, bacteria, and who knows what else, from the multitudinous travelers from days of yore... Thanks, mom! - propped up on my pillow, with my laptop up and running. The picture is courtesy of Stephen, my former roommate, who found me in the featured position upon returning to our room on a random late night... All I got to say is, "Kudos" to you, if you are reading this. Because let's face it, if what I am writing is putting ME to sleep, there's no telling how many double shots of Starbucks espresso are propelling you through the mire of this blog.
Oh, right! I promised to be brief... Sorry about that.
Anyway, at this point, I have completed a couple rounds of all of my classes, and I really do think I am getting better. We do have some textbooks to follow, but not much else as far as guidance. For the most part it's been hit and miss, and let's just say, I swing at everything. On the bright side, I think I finally had a successful lesson plan today for my intermediate English class, which I am basing on the fact that they only started begging for me to let them out 5 minutes early, rather than the typical 37 (class is supposed to be 90 minutes long).
Other success stories, I managed to persuade a girl, in spanish, into giving me a nerf basketball for free rather than having to sign up for a credit card to get it. Also, I got 500 pesos off my laundry today, and it looks like I might be able to get more, as the lady at the desk, when asked if I could receive a discount if I promised to bring my clothes only to her place every time I needed them washed, fastened on a coy smile, and responded "vamos a ver." So either: 1) my Spanish is getting better, or 2) It is so bad that the locals pity me, and throw me freebees like I'm a gibberish-muttering hobo who won't leave them alone.
Ok, it's not much, but I figure at the very least I can distract some overworked paralegals, bankers, interior designers, and consumer relations reps from their jobs for the five minutes it took to read this.
Headed to Buenos Aires on Saturday. I should be back by Tuesday, assuming I don't stay there, secure a false identity, and work my way down to Patagonia to take a job as a fly fishing guide for the rest of my life. If you don't hear from be by Friday, maybe we'll meet some day again in Barriloche.
Chau for nau.
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