Bait and Switch

So after Lujan we headed to Buenos Aires. The first night I stayed at Frankie's house. Argentina was celebrating there bicentennial all week long, so I arrived at a perfect time. Frankie and I went downtown to meet Laura, Paress, and Martin at a chinese restaurant. The food was ok. I was eying the fried chicken on their plate, but unfortunately the buffet was all out of the chicken. So we all finished up dinner and the walked to 9 de Julio for the festivities. There was a band playing and everyone was free and just having a great time. The music was really nice and the energy was vibrant. We jumped up and down and danced. It was really great, felt like being at a carnival. When it came time to leave we had to catch the bus. In Argentina you have to hold out your hand to signal the bus to stop. Now the bus driver decides whether he wants to stop or not. Of course with it being so late and their being many people on line the bus drivers were deciding not to stop. So we had to decide whether to walk to her place or walk to another bus stop. We decided on walking to another bus stop that was closer to her house and would have less people, figuring the odds would be better to catch a bus. So after 2 hours of walking and trying to catch a bus we finally reached her home. It was a great way to learn the city and see how the buses operate. The next day we went to recoleta's market, which was a cute little market. It has lots of nice trinkets and arts and crafts for sale. After recoleta's market we met Sergio at dinner so he could pick me up. I met Sergio in India. He is a slightly older man who was going to the same Guru that I was going to in Thiruvannamalai. In meeting him, I told him I was going to travel through S. America and he said when I come to Argentina I can stay with him. I thought this to be a nice gesture. He never seemed interested in me and he seemed to be quite spiritual. So we finish eating than I head to his house. When we first get there he says, the extra room is messy would you like to sleep in my room, so I say, no, that is ok, I don't mind a messy room. I will just sleep in the extra room. He tells me to hold on while he tidy's up the room, so I wait. Let me step back for a minute. While in General Rodriquez I found out my ATM card expired, so I had no access to money. I only had 75 pesos until I could get my new card. So I go into the room and settle in to sleep. Things began to move fast with Sergio trying to hit on me and making not so subtle comments on how beautiful I was. So I tell Frankie about this, but her sister came into town and she didn't have any extra room for me. So I decide to hang in there hoping my card will get there soon and I knew my friends George, Suzanne, Katherine, Paress, and Laura would be coming back to B.A so we would all stay at a hostel together. I just stayed out of the house as much as possible. Again, this was during the bicentennial so one night I left to go to the celebrations at 9 de Julio. I had a great time. I was supposed to meet another friend, Sandra, whom I met at the Eco Yoga Park, but it was too crowded and without me having a phone and her phone not working we never met up. I took the Subte (subway) from Sergio's house, but when it was time for me to go back to his home the Subte was closed. I did not know the bus route and spoke very little Spanish. I tried to find a locutorio to call him and find the bus route, but all was closed. I said I guess I will just stay out until 5 am when the Subte reopens. I began to remember the time when I was in Paris with my friends Chris and Ralph, we would go out to a club then hang outside the subway waiting for it to open. So I go to a cafe called La Madeleine and sit next to two women. They were darker toned so I felt like I could blend in with them. I tried to explain to them in the little Spanish that I speak that I didn't know how to get home. They were really nice. They didn't speak any English but were funny. I asked them where they worked and the one girl said here and the other began to laugh. I said, you work here? That was odd to me, because the people in the restaurant didn't seem to know them. So we stayed until the restaurant closed, then they offered to help me find the bus route. So they were asking people for me. At one point a man came up and asked if the three of us were sisters and if he could have the three of us. The other girl that laughed earlier said this is our work. I was like oh, I am hanging with 2 prostitutes. On one hand I felt good that I could be picked up with a bald head and loose casual clothes. Imagine if I was dressed up. Also, honored that I could look like there sisters because they were gorgeous. I shook my head saying no, I am not working and just lost, they are helping me out. So the guy pulls out his guide book and tells me what bus to take home. I go to the bus stop and wait and wait. I start talking to this couple who were waiting for an hour prior to me coming. Turns out they lived near me, so they say we are going to walk to see if an alternative bus is working. So I walk with them to the next bus stop. There a guy who saw me with the two ladies try to pick me up. He asks if I was with them. I say no, they were helping me find out what bus to take. So after a few awkward minutes with this guy the bus comes and this guy grabs me to kiss me and the couple I was with interfered. The guy pulled me onto the bus. I was like this is crazy. So the couple was very nice and walked me home when I got off the bus, then walked to there home. I have found the people in Argentina to be very helpful. Sergio begins to get worst and says that nothing in life is for free. I didn't have access to money so he was buying food, but I was cooking and making sure to clean the house to earn my keep. Then he asked me why I keep rejecting him. I said I really need to get out of here. This was the day before I was to meet up with George, Suzanne and Katherine at the hostel. So I packed my stuff and left. I went to Recoleta to meet Frankie, I asked her if I could hang out at her house for a little so I could use the internet to look up some places. She basically said no, because she wasn't going to be home and her sister Ghessycka who was in town had work to do in the house. It is interesting in that when you need someone it turns out that the ones you think would help you don't and the ones you expect the least from will help you. These were people who are related to one of my closest friends back at home and I had met them in DC and when I was in a tough spot they wouldn't help me out. So, I decide to go to the Hostel and it turns out they accepted US money. I gave them my last $10, good thing I had that on me. I was able to relax for that night. The next day my crew came and I was staying in the same room as George and Suzanne, so George paid for the room. George who I only just met at the Park offered to give me money until I can get my card. And while in Lujan, Katherine gave me some money to hold me over until B.A. These are people that I barely new and they were helping me more than people I thought I knew. That is how life is I guess. I have learned to not have expectations. I didn't want to call home to worry my family and I really wanted to make this work on my own. So Sergio and Frankie did a bait and switch on me basically. I still wish them well, but now know who my friends are. I thank them for helping me learn how strong and resourceful I am as well as a valuable life lesson. Now, I am at the Bait Hostel and I ask if they are looking for help and I find out they need a cleaning person. So I offer to clean in exchange for the price of staying at the Hostel. The staff at Bait were awesome. They were like family to me. They did not know how much they helped me out in my time of need. Now, here I am cleaning at a Hostel, barely speaking Spanish. When I looked back I had to laugh because in the US a lot of the people who clean are Latino and don't speak much English. So here I am in S. America cleaning and barely speaking the Spanish. I must say though the cleaning was very meditative for me. It helped to keep me grounded and focused on the here and now. Everyday I cleaned it was like a purging of my unwanted layers. It was like peeling away the mandarin layers to get to my sweetness. I loved every moment of it. I also loved cleaning because I got to be around the staff all the time. There was Melvin, what can I say about Melvin. He is from California, went to B.A and never left. He was the go to guy for everything. Boy could he cook. I had to get help from him with my cooking. He knew where all the good parties were. Any day of the week that someone wanted to go out, all they had to do was ask Melvin where to go and he knew the best spots. He became my big brother, whenever I or anyone needed advice they could count on Melvin for it. I will always thank Melvin for my Thursday nights at Club 69 and Saturday nights at Levitar. Those are the two clubs where I had my head licked so many times, how could I ever forget them. They are both walking distance from Bait. Club 69 is a club where they have drag queens dancing on stage and guys break dancing. It is mostly electronic and dance music. They also have a second room that is a little more laid back, which plays dub music. It was so much fun. I definitely recommend it to anyone. Then there is Levitar that has 2 rooms, they play hip hop and rap in 1 room and dance in the other. That was a nice chill out spot. Then there was Nico. Nico had the best hair ever! I would always rub on his head to feel the softness. It got to the point that every time he came to work and saw me he would put his head down so that I could rub on it. He was so funny. He is from B.A. and had the best accent. I loved the way he said “Shut it up” when trying to tell you to shut up. He is a musical genius. He plays the guitar and was able to come up with the notes for “Private Party” by India Arie just by listening to it. He is currently on the road traveling through Europe with his band. I am sure they are having a blast. One night some of Nico's friends came to the Hostel and they did not know what they were in for. It happened to be during the time that George, Suzanne, Katherine, Paress, and Laura were all at Bait with me. This is the crew from the Eco Yoga Park. We had already been partying that night. We drank beer in the Hostel went to a Jazz club called, Theolonis, had more drinks then went back to the Hostel and finished the rest of their beer. One of Nico's friends ended up getting his chest hair shaved and there was a kissing contest. Crazy night. I had to go to bed earlier since I had to work the next morning, but I heard some crazy stories. There was also Adam. Adam was from England. I loved his accent as well. He was a tall good looking Brit. Didn't interact too much because of his shift and he left to return home. There was also Pablo. Pablo was the Asado cook. On Tuesday nights we had the Asado's. All you can eat meat and all you can drink wine. It was the best. Pablo did the grill and Melvin made the potato salad, which was delicious. Getting hungry now thinking about it. Most of the crew left me and Katherine behind. Katherine and I really bonded and found a Sai Baba center to go to for meditation and yoga. That was nice. We really needed to add that into the mix of all the partying that happens in B.A. I got to teach and attune Reiki to Katherine and Paress. That was really nice to work with them and watch them grow spiritually. It was really good for me as well. Nice practice in teaching and attuning Reiki. It was truly a blessing to watch Katherine mature during the 2 months that I knew her. I felt like she was my little sister. All the advice I gave her, felt like I was talking to the younger me. She really did remind me a lot of myself. After 3-4 weeks at Bait Hostel, Katherine and I decided to do Couch Surfing so that we could save some money and have a different scenery. I really wanted to stay with a local family and practice my Spanish and see what it was like to be local. She stayed with a guy named Frederico who was close to Bait and I stayed with Nahuel, who lived in Puerto Madero. P.M. is a beautiful and rich area. His family was very nice and welcoming. I have to thank Jenn Rose for introducing me to Nahuel on CS. His family welcomed me with open arms. Things flowed so well that I ended up staying there for 2 weeks. I did Reiki on Nahuel's mom, cooked for the family and enjoyed late night walking the dog with his mom. I practiced my Spanish and they practiced their English. It was a lot of fun. For father's day the family came over and I ended showing them all my pictures from India. I felt like part of the family. Katherine met me in P.M and we walked around the park and lake. It was really beautiful their. After my two weeks in P.M, I returned to Bait. Then we met Andy, who came from FL. Andy, Katherine, and I walked to a museum one day, but somehow got lost on our way back so ended up having to take a taxi. That was a nice adventure. Andy is a teacher back at home and was traveling to Argentina and S. Africa for his vacation. Andy was a lot of fun. He is the kind of guy that knows a little something about everything. I was supposed to leave with Katherine to go to Bolivia, but then my friend, Patricia from home emailed that she is going to Peru so I decided to go to Peru instead. Katherine left for Bolivia and I had a week left before I would head to Peru. I had to give notice and wait for Bait to find a cleaning person. In that week I met Minna and Amy. Amy was from England, but is teaching English in Thailand. Minna is from the states. Most people I met in Argentina were from England or USA. It was nice hanging out with Minna and Amy. One night we went to see Nico's friends perform at a bar and that was a lot of fun. The crowd was really into it. Everyone was singing and jumping up and down. The band was amazing, full of energy. I can only imagine how they are doing in Europe. I also met Abdul at Bait Hostel. He was really cool. He is an AA guy from the states. He was there to learn Spanish. I ended up CS with him as well for 3 days. He really welcomed me into his apartment and we had some great talks. I borrowed his book “On Writing” by Stephen King and met his friends Brianna, also AA from the states, and Patrick, from Africa. Patrick taught me how to make an Avocado salad that is to die for. Brianna wants to travel with me some, so we will see what happens. She is back at home now waiting for the weather to warm up before coming back to S.America. We talked about going to Brazil for Carnival. Hope it happens. Speaking of AA, I actually met quite a few. At a club called Sugar, I met Arielle, while on line for the bathrooms. She started talking to me. She is another AA from the states in Argentina studying Black Latinos. Very exciting school work. I also met Ruby and Erin while at La Bomba on a Monday night. La Bomba is the drumming group that plays on Mondays. They were on vacation. So I got to meet several AA from the states in Argentina. Go figure. For a second I couldn't remember if I was home or in another country. Part of traveling is meeting so many wonderful people that you would not otherwise meet at home. I can't wait to return to Bait. For now I am enjoying Peru.