Expectations #2

#2 Commuting 


I have been on several subway systems in my lifetime, and have always glorified the pedestrian lifestyle, but growing up in suburbia has not allowed me to fully experience one. I am fascinated by daily subway rides and look forward to the tedium of catching 'my train home. Call me crazy but I feel that if I master even a small portion of the expansive subway system (called the Subte in BA), I will begin to feel more at home. The more I can feel like a porteño (local) the more I expect I will gain from my experience. Cinematic as it sounds I'm sure my first attempt and flawlessly navigating Subte lines will be more youtube worthy than oscar worthy, but I'm ready to give it a shot.

                                           Photo credit: Phillipp Klinger Photography on Flickr


Here's to maps instead of iphones... yikes,
Hil

Expectations #1

#1. Street Art
I have read that the street art of Argentina is both beautiful and rich in political, cultural, and social thought; that the artistic heart of Buenos Aires lies not within its walls but on them. I love street art. I find it fascinating in the way it allows for communication, revolution and art simultaneously.

Antigua Alhambra store in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Photo credit: Jim Patton via Flickr

Expectations...

Every trip begins with expectations, mine is no different. I believe BA has much to offer me, and I, in turn must understand the depth to which I allow my expectations to dictate my journey. I will therefore be admitting my expectations here and then addressing them head on after I have experienced them for myself.  I flatter myself to think you are all interested in reading about my coping mechanisms, but at any rate you can at least use these expectations, misguided as they may be to laugh at later.

Cheers, 

H

All about Airlines.. and a few other things

I finally found a flight to Argentina, and by that I mean my beautiful mother found it for me. Unfortunately Linette and I won't be able to fly together, so we'll just have to meet up down there. The prospect of being on a 14 hour flight by myself doesn't seem very appealing, but hey, I was the one asking for adventure. We ended up getting a pretty good bargain on my ticket, I'm so thankful for that.

Speaking of adventure Linette and I decided we're going to make a list. I love lists... a lot. But before you jump the gun and remind me of the notebooks full of lists unfinished sprawled next to my bed, may I just say it was her suggestion. I just happen to think it is a grand idea. Once we have some ideas brainstormed I'll post them. If any of you have any ideas feel free to comment and let me know.

One more thing before I go. I set up a funding website on Go Fund Me, a great website that allows travelers or anyone really to have a safe method for friends and family to help them financially if they feel so led. So if you have a ton of extra dolla dolla bills laying around feel free to send them my way via the link, hey, anything helps.

Well it's about time I get up and get studying, finals week. gah.

Stay Warm,
Hil

Plane Tickets

I love flying. Love it. I also love shopping online for hypothetical tickets that allow me to purchase a $49 flight from Miami to Costa Rica. Planning cheap dream vacations has always been a (not so secret) hobby of mine. So you would assume that when one poor student needs one reasonably priced ticket to Buenos Aries, I would have plenty of resources... I don't. Specials, deals travel coupons don't seem to want to play nice with my schedule. I mean does not having flexible flying dates really make me that much of an a-hole?  Sure there's an incredible deal on Thursday... do I need to leave on Thursday? umm no. thanks. 

Here are my four best airline options: 

LAN

TAN

United 

Southwest

If anyone has any tips, feel free to let me know. A free flight would also be appreciated. 

I'll also be putting up my funding site pretty soon and it will be linked to the right of the blog below my perdy picture, so be looking for that.

Cheers, Hil

Four in the morning looking at flights... and tumblr

Paperwork

There is an element that is less than glamorous… paperwork. My glorious swimming visions of being a world traveler conquering a city of 14 million people, mastering a new language and becoming an avid metro user are quickly cleared when I look at the massive amount of post application forms that are due in… oh.. in about a week. December 15th is so far away… right? Wrong! Here the deadline is, staring me in the face, and all I want to do is crawl in bed and sleep.

Dead week, as a junior at the University of Idaho is what I would expect a convention for professional mopers. Everyone is either brooding, eating junk food, or  . People become enraged about a patch of ice, or someone sighing too often (which because of the fair amount of mopers happens quite often.) If I wasn’t so concerned about my brain imploding it would be almost humorous, or at leas worthy of an Office style sitcom. The fact of the matter is, if the question of ‘how are you?’ during dead week isn’t “busy” or “stressed” you clearly shouldn’t be in college. All I can say at this point is I am ready. Ready for the 16 hour plane ride, ready for a new location, new people, new experiences. As cheesy as it sounds (I’m a cheesy person), adventure is calling my name, and this paperwork is the one thing standing in my way of boarding that flight. Grrr time to get on it!

Argentina, you’d better be worth it.

Cheers, Hil