junio 30, 2004

Fun with Bureaucracy II (to Cara-edited)

Much as you might envy our "south american odyssey" it kind of sucks spending my whole vacation on busses trying to get to a place that may or may not be open and may or may not hand me a stack of US dollars. On the other hand, we might get to swing by Machu Pichu, which never sounds bad. On the upside, all this bustling through the continent may cause me to miss an exam and fail my favorite class (ironically, precolombian art!!).

Right now we're in Salta and about to ride a ski lift up a hill since we've been making unsuccessful phone calls all day. The catholic schoolgirls wear their skirts even shorter than in Buenos Aires, and some come complete with ties and cigarettes(interchangeable with chewing gum). Randy's "bohemian tendencies" are rearing up.

I don't know if Farenheit 9/11 is coming out down here. Argentina has recently re-made it onto the US list of bad places, so hopefully it will come here soon. Gotta go ride a thing.
love,
anna

randy, from the chair next door, feels like an old pervert as he drools over
12 year old schoolgirls.

junio 28, 2004

Fun with Bureaucracy (to Cara-edited)

Right now Randy and I are in Resistencia, Argentina (you haven't heard of it
for a reason...) and Ben is winging his way back to our apartment on the bus.
It's strange seeing someone else here that I know so well. He's having a great time, I think.
I'm still completely up in the air about whether or not we're going to Lima, but it kinda looks like it. I can at least guarantee you we're spending the next two solid days on the bus and I'm getting sick. Yay. Actually I don't hold hardly anthing against the Peruvian airline, just the US government. Not only are they fucking over all the airlines' (probably decent people)employees because their boss may or may not have been a drug kingpin(queenpin, actually), but they're actually outright stealing our money. The airline is all smiles and roses about giving it to us, but the US will seize any money they attempt to send outside of their borders to any institution. It makes me not at all more wary of being abroad, but of going back to the US. In truth, not to be a cynical expatriot or anything, but it certainly seems that most people's heartaches in most of the world have to do with the US. We
suck. I don't want to be we anymore. There's not even gòod bus service in the US.
Randy says hi from the chair next door.

love,
anna

junio 18, 2004

Boca (to Cara-edited)

Yes, Boca also means mouth in Spanish. The team name comes from their
neighborhood, La Boca, which is a poor neighborhood on a port - la boca del
rio Riachuelo (I think I spelled it right). But I can't attest to why they
named them Mouth Burgers - kind of turns me off, actually. Then again, there
are Barfy Burgers here...
...it's a little strange to me that a melange of my high school classmates have become your newfound summer social web (and Adam's). But I give my full past apartment occupier approval for youto stay on there as long as you like. Although hanging out with Susan and Jimena is really quite rewarding. The little one is hilarious.
I'm going to Uruguay tomorrow with Randy so he can renew his visa (and pay a fine for getting robbed!) before we go on our grand excursion later. Today I spent the whole day chained to the computer writing a paper/exam thing. It's exciting that I can do a shitload of research and whip out seven pages in Spanish in a day and a half.
I have these fake Lee Press-On teeth things until I get my real crowns put on Wednesday so I've been eating finger foods with a knife and fork and haven't been able to bite or touch my molars together for a week. I'm ready for this to end! My boca is giving me some agony. Have a good weekend and love on my pets for me when you see them.

love,
Anna

junio 17, 2004

Hey Vos! (to Cara from Randy-edited)

thanks for writing me. though, you realize, anna and i usually read and write email together....
actually, anna got this message before i did. but, hey, our futbol team won tonight in a dramatic game and people are driving around the city all honking their horns and screaming. it's all very exciting. now i can sleep well tonight while the other teams fans go home and hang themselves.
looking forward to seeing you guys more than actually being back. i'm glad your summer is turning out happy and that cleo didn't eat pez, because i like them both.

we're going to bolivia!!

chau,
randy

junio 06, 2004

Feliz Saturday

Hullo all -

Well, now it’s official: I’m never running for president, but at least I had a good day. There was a big (at least 10,000 people) march throughout a good part of the capital today culminating at the US embassy. It was a march against the war in Iraq, but with a strong communist slant, so its side causes were Palestine, Cuba and Venezuela. Always up for an interesting, somewhat uncomfortable but rewarding experience, we decided to literally plaster our nationality all over ourselves. We walked seven or so miles through the city with the commies with signs saying “US Citizen Against Bush’s War” (en español, of course). We got very strong support from most people: one guy told us he loved us, a guy told me Cubans cheer ‘long live the American people’ on workers’ holidays, were photographed more than I’ve ever been before, and gave a couple of interviews to reporters. Next time you’re in your neighborhood communist library, look for me in a documentary about current social issues. All in all, a good day with lots of people, riot police and burning stuff. In other news, Randy’s new passport came! (quite a relief before a rousing protest at the US embassy...) School’s good but nearing the end of term and the weather’s kind of gray and hazy. Hope all’s well up north.



love,

anna