what do you get when you mix the five in a group project on the medias of Chile and freedom of press?
you get things like:
"mailde'uruguayan'sname'"@googlemail.com, along with email addresses like caro87hotmail or chaco@...
I find this hilarious given that they're journalism college students.
you get columbians who for some reason think three digits in dates should be separated e.g. 2.009, 1.999
never seen that one before...
or stuff like not knowing to click "reply all" when they're working on group project.
and then of course, the frenchman doesn't care and waits until the last minute to get stuff done.
and the american who's trying to understand what's going on inside these heads and trying to get them to work together as a group, the way american students are taught to.
luckly, there are still Brazilians and Mexicans in the world.
Speaking of Mexicans. Today a mexican and the aforementioned uruguayan were hanging out. The mexican has a tee-shirt that reads "hecho en Mexico". The uruguayan tells him to go on the main pedestrian street (florida) and walk by people sneezing and coughing really close to them. With the current H1N1 craze here ( I saw ONE man wearing a mask yesterday even though there are no reported cases in Argentina yet) that would be the funniest thing to do with one's day (my humble, beating-prone opinion)
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
El Tigre
Had a short but sweet talk with pirus.
Went on a guided tour organized through my program today. Took the train up north and biked through the nice and not as nice parts of town. We had maté and alfahores while sitting along the coast. I ate a chorripan for lunch with delicious dried tomatoes.
then we went kayaking. in the mar de la plata. There was a carnaval Emily talked about which we went pass. I would like going back to check that out. Looked like a simple, fun, proletarian time.
Bonded with G and M K. talked about cooking. Might take a few cooking classes with her from this chef she knows here in BA. You go to his house and cook/eat there.
talked about transgenders on her campus. They're not "he" or "she" but "zee" (not sure on the spelling)
Had a few fun email exchanges with my cousin on being married, falling pregnant, and snow.
Hung out with Soso over icecream. good, tango times.
Went on a guided tour organized through my program today. Took the train up north and biked through the nice and not as nice parts of town. We had maté and alfahores while sitting along the coast. I ate a chorripan for lunch with delicious dried tomatoes.
then we went kayaking. in the mar de la plata. There was a carnaval Emily talked about which we went pass. I would like going back to check that out. Looked like a simple, fun, proletarian time.
Bonded with G and M K. talked about cooking. Might take a few cooking classes with her from this chef she knows here in BA. You go to his house and cook/eat there.
talked about transgenders on her campus. They're not "he" or "she" but "zee" (not sure on the spelling)
Had a few fun email exchanges with my cousin on being married, falling pregnant, and snow.
Hung out with Soso over icecream. good, tango times.
Monday, May 4, 2009
a memory
I felt like posting this conversation I had with a (far away) close friend yesterday. I feel that when reading back on these posts in X number of years, it will be a decent reminder of the events/situation, and nothing more. This may seem hypocritical of me as there are plenty of things I have not posted in the past that might have been memories, but whatever. Not at all meant as an attack or with any bitterness:
edit: nevermind. Perhaps it's just better to say that I'm single now.
Also, I had an awesome two hour long video chat conversation with Chris about life, Cairo, and the pursuit of happiness, and mainly how him not having 120K and not getting any financial aid means him not going to the #1 (john hopkins) or #4 (Tufts, Fletcher school) top international relations school in the US. gotta love it.
He's trying for the UK and Europe now.
Oh, and apparently, Jordan, from Cairo (the girl) was really into my blog and read really far back into it and was shocked at my writing that he had a mini crush on her when he first met her. ("gasp... I had NO idea!") lol sorry for revealing personal things. That's the third time that's gotten me into 'trouble'
edit: nevermind. Perhaps it's just better to say that I'm single now.
Also, I had an awesome two hour long video chat conversation with Chris about life, Cairo, and the pursuit of happiness, and mainly how him not having 120K and not getting any financial aid means him not going to the #1 (john hopkins) or #4 (Tufts, Fletcher school) top international relations school in the US. gotta love it.
He's trying for the UK and Europe now.
Oh, and apparently, Jordan, from Cairo (the girl) was really into my blog and read really far back into it and was shocked at my writing that he had a mini crush on her when he first met her. ("gasp... I had NO idea!") lol sorry for revealing personal things. That's the third time that's gotten me into 'trouble'
Friday, May 1, 2009
Dalai Lama, a memory
From: tbo
Sent: Tuesday, April 28
To: Uncle
Subject: Dalai Lama
Hey Uncle,
Remember that story of us going to see the Dalai Lama at Grant Park? And something about me yelling at the top of my lungs "DALAI LAAMMMAAAA".
I think you told me that story once. Not sure if it's true or not. Is it?
t
From: Uncle
To:
HI, you were sitting on my shoulders and it was very quiet. You screamed out "Dalai Laaaaammmmaaaa!" All true buddy. It was very funny. All these people dressed in their native garbs turned around to look and you and saw that you were a little boy and smiled. Thanks for reminding me, that was great. Hope all is well and thanks for the email.
Regards,
Sent: Tuesday, April 28
To: Uncle
Subject: Dalai Lama
Hey Uncle,
Remember that story of us going to see the Dalai Lama at Grant Park? And something about me yelling at the top of my lungs "DALAI LAAMMMAAAA".
I think you told me that story once. Not sure if it's true or not. Is it?
t
From: Uncle
To:
HI, you were sitting on my shoulders and it was very quiet. You screamed out "Dalai Laaaaammmmaaaa!" All true buddy. It was very funny. All these people dressed in their native garbs turned around to look and you and saw that you were a little boy and smiled. Thanks for reminding me, that was great. Hope all is well and thanks for the email.
Regards,
Monday, April 20, 2009
Goal: speak Arabic
My goal failed. No body speaks Arabic anymore here. They all forgot it or can't be bothered to learn it more than basic Koranic use. This is what a mosque leader guy told me.
There are other mosques though. I think I'll go to a different one next week.
Meeting up with Rochan was fun. Talked a good deal about Atef, learned a few things I didn't know about him. We went to Plaza dorrgeo, downed two stellas. Her friend was pretty cool too.
There are other mosques though. I think I'll go to a different one next week.
Meeting up with Rochan was fun. Talked a good deal about Atef, learned a few things I didn't know about him. We went to Plaza dorrgeo, downed two stellas. Her friend was pretty cool too.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Friday, small huge world.
Today I'm going to visit my first Mosque in Buenos Aires.
Goal: speak Arabic.
I will report back as to how this went.
This week, for the first time when I saw some medialunas at a café, I remembered those delicious pastries they sold in Cairo. sigh...
Good news:
Wednesday, I skyped with Atef. I have some very good news concerning him. He was accepted to a scholarship. This involves a fully-paid (by Mubarak) 4 month intensive course. He'll be doing 10 hours/day of English, business, and computer-related matters. It's a great way to get him going places in life (english is very sought after in all fields), as he generally complained about the lack of direction, and general desire for something better.
The reason I mention this is because I am the one who told him about this scholarship. I found out about it through some Egyptian friend I met through the 'class' I taught through the Islamic NGO. I know it's a very good class because they spoke pretty darn well after the time they had spent studying. One of the guys was even engaged to his teacher( and another, longtime novia, at the same time, he couldn't marry because he didn't have the money to).
So I'm really happy for Atef, I'm happy our friendships and contacts brought about this great opportunity for him.
Wow, and strangely HIGHLY related, The English/Iraqi girl who introduced me to Atef is in Buenos Aires NOW and I'll meet with her tomorrow. Planning on telling her this good news.
Small huge world.
Goal: speak Arabic.
I will report back as to how this went.
This week, for the first time when I saw some medialunas at a café, I remembered those delicious pastries they sold in Cairo. sigh...
Good news:
Wednesday, I skyped with Atef. I have some very good news concerning him. He was accepted to a scholarship. This involves a fully-paid (by Mubarak) 4 month intensive course. He'll be doing 10 hours/day of English, business, and computer-related matters. It's a great way to get him going places in life (english is very sought after in all fields), as he generally complained about the lack of direction, and general desire for something better.
The reason I mention this is because I am the one who told him about this scholarship. I found out about it through some Egyptian friend I met through the 'class' I taught through the Islamic NGO. I know it's a very good class because they spoke pretty darn well after the time they had spent studying. One of the guys was even engaged to his teacher( and another, longtime novia, at the same time, he couldn't marry because he didn't have the money to).
So I'm really happy for Atef, I'm happy our friendships and contacts brought about this great opportunity for him.
Wow, and strangely HIGHLY related, The English/Iraqi girl who introduced me to Atef is in Buenos Aires NOW and I'll meet with her tomorrow. Planning on telling her this good news.
Small huge world.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Breathless (Ddongpari)
Una Crítica
“Breathless (Ddongpari)”
“Breathless (Ddongpari),” una película coreana del director y actor Yang Ik-jun, tuvo un gran éxito este año en el Buenos Aires International Festival of Independent Cinema (BAFICI). No es un misterio el hecho que la sala haya estado repleta de cinéfilos: una historia horripilante e interpretaciones increíbles por todos los actores.
El director es Yang Ik-jun que desempeña también el papel protagónico. “Breathless” es su primer largometraje pero no parece. Vendio su casa y pidio prestado dinero a su familia y sus amigos, Yang realizó esta película por sus medios propios. También, los actores y empleados (todos voluntarios) eran sus amigos que el había conocido durante los diez años de su carrera como actor. Yang tiene la intención de pagarles si su película tiene más éxito. Inspirado por una rabia personal, Yang escribió el guión con la intención de contar una faceta de la vida coreana muy poco contada: la del abuso y la violencia de parte de los hombres en el seno de la familia.
La película empieza con un largo flujo de escenas en las cuales Kim Sang-hoon (Yang Il-jun), el protagonista está golpeando y abofeteando a cualquier persona que pasa por su camino. Eso incluye una sarta de insultos que deja el espectador con algunas nociones de malas palabras coreanas, que son tantas veces repetidas (shee-ba...). Sang-hoon es un gángster que cobra las deudas a los morosos. Su papel evoluciona cuando Sang-hoon conoce a la chica, Han Yeon-heui (Kim Gol-bi), una estudiante tan perdida como él y afectada por problemas en su casa con su hermano violento, Yeong-jae (Lee Hwan), y su padre demente. Kim y Han forman una pareja que funciona en una manera muy rara. Eso les permite a los dos mejorar sus relaciones con miembros de sus familias y demuestra una compasión del temible gángster Kim.
Esta película tiene una muy buena historia y actores excelentes. Pero me parece claro que esta película está en la categoría de “independientes”: sus 130 minutos son demasiados largos y el constante movimiento de la cámara es mucho para un espectador común como yo. Con veinte minutos menos, esta película sería excelente. Cercano del a los 90 minutos estuvo a punto de salir de la sala por causa de la continuación inagotable de violencia y malas palabras, pero ocurrió algo en la historia que me hizo quedarme... Su único desventaja es su larga duración. Pero si tuviera otro billete iría alegremente para ver a “Breathless” de nuevo, pero no con una chica, más con mis amigos del club de boxing.
“Breathless (Ddongpari)”
“Breathless (Ddongpari),” una película coreana del director y actor Yang Ik-jun, tuvo un gran éxito este año en el Buenos Aires International Festival of Independent Cinema (BAFICI). No es un misterio el hecho que la sala haya estado repleta de cinéfilos: una historia horripilante e interpretaciones increíbles por todos los actores.
El director es Yang Ik-jun que desempeña también el papel protagónico. “Breathless” es su primer largometraje pero no parece. Vendio su casa y pidio prestado dinero a su familia y sus amigos, Yang realizó esta película por sus medios propios. También, los actores y empleados (todos voluntarios) eran sus amigos que el había conocido durante los diez años de su carrera como actor. Yang tiene la intención de pagarles si su película tiene más éxito. Inspirado por una rabia personal, Yang escribió el guión con la intención de contar una faceta de la vida coreana muy poco contada: la del abuso y la violencia de parte de los hombres en el seno de la familia.
La película empieza con un largo flujo de escenas en las cuales Kim Sang-hoon (Yang Il-jun), el protagonista está golpeando y abofeteando a cualquier persona que pasa por su camino. Eso incluye una sarta de insultos que deja el espectador con algunas nociones de malas palabras coreanas, que son tantas veces repetidas (shee-ba...). Sang-hoon es un gángster que cobra las deudas a los morosos. Su papel evoluciona cuando Sang-hoon conoce a la chica, Han Yeon-heui (Kim Gol-bi), una estudiante tan perdida como él y afectada por problemas en su casa con su hermano violento, Yeong-jae (Lee Hwan), y su padre demente. Kim y Han forman una pareja que funciona en una manera muy rara. Eso les permite a los dos mejorar sus relaciones con miembros de sus familias y demuestra una compasión del temible gángster Kim.
Esta película tiene una muy buena historia y actores excelentes. Pero me parece claro que esta película está en la categoría de “independientes”: sus 130 minutos son demasiados largos y el constante movimiento de la cámara es mucho para un espectador común como yo. Con veinte minutos menos, esta película sería excelente. Cercano del a los 90 minutos estuvo a punto de salir de la sala por causa de la continuación inagotable de violencia y malas palabras, pero ocurrió algo en la historia que me hizo quedarme... Su único desventaja es su larga duración. Pero si tuviera otro billete iría alegremente para ver a “Breathless” de nuevo, pero no con una chica, más con mis amigos del club de boxing.
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