Tenedor Libre

Sushi really hit the spot on Thursday. We were really well behaved yesterday and this afternoon (didn't even go out for coffee) so we are checking out a new vegetarian/vegan spot that is pretty close by. The exciting part (aside from the awesomeness that is vegetarian/vegan cuisine) is that it is "tenedor libre," which translated literally means "free fork." In American lingo, its buffet style, all you can eat!

See you soon, when we are fat and happy!

A gift.

Given to us by our landlord, with these words:
"A gift for you, the last blossom this season."

Giving Thanks w/Sushi & Sangria

Happy Thanksgiving!

Its hard to believe its Thanksgiving day in Estados Unidos, when I am surrounded by tank tops and sunshine, and there not a turkey to be found anywhere. Its 77 degrees and there is a warm breeze blowing in through our open windows. The chocolate cake and lemon pie have been purchased and the white sangria is in the fridge marinating. Paul, Ogion and Sara are due in 1 hour. Ab is attempting a power nap (with ear plugs) to my right, and I am taking a moment to relax, think, and write.
*sigh.
Wow...there are so many things to be thankful for right now. The fact that I am here, that I am able to relax and write, is amazing. The fact that I have Abby next to me (even tho she is being cranky!) is another blessing. My family: Mama-pie, Dadio, Carlooch, Scoop, Robio and Grammie-pie are my rocks, the reason that this world makes sense. I lean on them constantly, and am always so grateful when they hold me up. I hope I give enough back to them. My wonderful friends, spread across the globe, bringing beauty to the world. Wherever you are, know that I am grateful to have in you in my life and that I love you! My health, the fact that my neck has barely hurt since we arrived here, that my body is up for the challenge I have come to undertake! The roof over my head, the food that is so plentiful, the beautiful things that surround me each day. So many things. I could never name them all.

So tonight, the 5 of us are going to get together, to be thankful for all that we have, but we are going to do it in an nontraditional way. An anti-traditional thanksgiving (with no ego attached). Tonight, we eat sushi, send muchas gratitude to all the Native Americans who sacrificed so much for us, and toast our sangria to both the friends and family we miss and those here with us. And then we go out and dance.

Written with love.
Sincerely,
Corin Lee

Stunted Expression

Tomorrow we begin our Spanish lessons. Coming to travel in a country without knowing the language is one thing, but moving to a country not knowing the language is another. When you're putting roots down, you want to be able to show your true colors. At the local shop, you want to be able to say please and thank you, tell them a little about yourself, ask them about their family. You want to tell your neighbor you love their top, or that they have a beautiful home. You want to be able to seize an opportunity by answering a question, instead of grasping at straws to understand, finding nothing and sadly smiling as you walk away.

A large part of my identity is language, about expressing myself through words and gestures. Its very important to me, and my happiness, to be able to give a compliment, or point out something that I appreciate. To say how I feel. I want to be able to compliment a chef's work, or tell an artisan that their painting moves me. But I can't and its stifling.

Don't get me wrong, I know so much more than I did when we arrived. I can read most of a menu and order a coffee the way I want it. I know how to pronounce our street name so that the cab driver doesn't have to ask us second time. I know the subway system and the layout of the city. We know the spots by out house that we don't want to walk alone at night, and those that we feel comfortable on. We know where to get a great Argentine ice cream (its different here) and a yummy homemade pizza dough for 3 pesos. I never leave home without my Spanish~English translation book.

But needless to say, I am excited to learn. I'm working on my vocab all the time, but I am excited to find out how to conjugate a verb, and how to structure a sentence. I can not wait until I can finally say “Thank you so much for your help. You're so kind!” or “Wow, that was a delicious meal, please send my compliments to the chef!” Oh my, I can't wait!!

While I am here I want to travel. I want to dance tango, study milonga with traspié, learn to lead at a level high enough to navigate a crowded dance floor. I want to tear myself apart to find out whats inside, and put myself back together in a way that I understand, respect, and love. But I also want to return home with a second language under my belt and a new understanding of the world.

Here I am! I'm ready to learn!

Right now:

Abby is in the kitchen as I type, cooking plantains in our new frying pan. Its the first time I have ever had them. They're kinda sweet, and kinda starchy and kinda boozie. We drizzled them with honey. Naturally, we are having a mimosa accompaniment. However, this time, we are having them with fresh-squeezed tangerine juice. :)

Feeling great!

Observations

- Even the locals clutch their belongings on the streets and in the subway. Petty theft is everywhere. I wear my backpack on the front of my body.
- There is no white here. Once, there might have been, but now everything is a shade of gray. If you wear white, and it is truly white, you stand out. Everyone is a little bit dirty.
- Everything is slippery. A fine layer of sand covers the stairs, the floors, the sidewalks. If you are not careful you will slip.
- It smells bad when it rains. The stench comes up through the drains into our house but if we cover the drain it doesn't bother us that much.
- Nothing is as it appears. From the outside, a door is a door. But if you open it, you could find a palace or a hovel.

Change.

Months ago Abby and I started talking about change. We got talking about traveling and our mutual interest, and that turned into where we have been and where we wanted to go. It started as an unlikely fantasy that always made us smile, and slowly turned into a little ball of possibility that grew as we got deeper into the details. Slowly but surely we started the process. Sometimes without noticing we would refrain from purchasing something because we “didn't really need it,” which was undercover speak for “it will probably just end up in storage in a couple months anyways, so I might as well save the money for a...um...rainy day?”
For about 5 years, one of the destinations on the very top of my list was Buenos Aires, Argentina. As an Argentina tango dancer, the idea of spending any extended period of time in Buenos Aires studying with the masters is scary and exciting. Its something you have to do. One week would never be enough. A month possibly? With the horrible economic climate, can I stomach having to start over in the United States in one month? Give up this dream because of fear? That can not be an option.
As it turned out, Argentina was at the top of Abby's list as well, albeit for very different reasons. The beautiful Patagonia was the magnet. Never mind the rest of the amazing sights within South America.
So we picked a spot and the fantasy grew. Abby's lease was up, so she moved in with me. No need to pay rent in two places, searching for a new place would be terrible and no way she would sign the lease for another twelve months. One step closer. As we embraced for the final time @ 47 Gerry, the spot where it all began, the fantasy grew again. It took roots as a plan.
We began to talk about it, let it out of the cage and into the world. We did research, we scoured our bank accounts, we started making lists...so many lists! A lot goes into moving away. You have to call your bank to inform them of the change, find out the fees, change your address, cancel your utilities, transfer car payments, suspend your cell phone, tie up all the loose ends. Leave nothing outstanding or it will turn into a headache down the line. You have to quit your job, say goodbye, pack all of your belongings into boxes and crates. There goes your life, a few boxes, a couple tears, and a big bag of dreams.
Sometimes those dreams do come true (with some grit, determination and courage, of course). Here we are. Sitting in our adorable apartment in San Telmo, an eclectic, antique area of Buenos Aires. Can you imagine it? This week we begin a Spanish class, next week we travel to Uruguay. The week after that is the Buenos Aires Queer Tango Festival. And then, who knows? That's why we call it an adventure, right? It comes at a price, but that price is not big enough to stop us.

Up to my eyeballs in questions.

What does it mean to live? Ha! One of those million dollar questions. You're a good person, you stop for pedestrians, you go out on Friday nights, you try to travel to at least one new place every year. Or you don't...you don't like to travel (petrified to fly?) and deep down you don't care if millions go hungry every year. Or you try to be grateful for the things you have. You love your wife, or your husband, or your girlfriend...sometimes, all the time, every minute of every day? Do you even question these things? Wait...so what's normal? Are people normally in love every minute of every day? Is it normal to cry in the shower for people you have never met, that will never even know the luxury of your mediocre body wash? Do you feel bad because you're not sure where the starving people are?

You're successful in your job, you have a beautiful family, but (get ready, another tough one) are you happy? No wait, not happy, but happy? Truly happy? Content. Do I have to meditate to find that happy place, do I have to quit my job and move to a faraway land to find that happy place (haha, maybe...), or is that happy place in my backyard, on my hammock, with a good novel and a cup of tea? So if happiness could be anything to anyone, is in fact completely different to different people, and is so hard to find that most people (may I be so bold?) don't even know if they have it, where do we even start on the quest for it?

Does living = happiness? Does living + happiness = contentedness? Or does happiness + contentedness = living? Or am I completely missing the point?

Either way, sometimes making a change and challenging yourself to something new can offer some insight into what the “right” (ha, another one!) path is for you. Or at least, show you a little more clearly what isn't right for you at all. But just like everything, there are two sides to each story and everything changes with a new perspective. So, this blog is just my story, the world through my (open) eyes and my (open) heart. Hopefully my perspective will change 100 times, as my life changes, and as I learn and grow. My challenge is to open up and ask all of these questions, truly ask them, and search for some of the answers.

Will you challenge yourself to do the same?