mendoza

Jan 22. (I´m trying to update properly in the next few days before hiking in the mountains and climbing a glacier.... I know this is old but I´m working on it slowly... too much to do to spend enough time on the computer box thing...)

Tonight I'm leaving Mendoza after about 4 days that have gone by in a total blur. It's hot here and humid, not even dropping below 80 at night.
The combination of the heat plus and unsettled stomach has made me very lazy. As I wrote in my journal a few days ago, it's hard to feel you are figuring out your life when a large portion of your concentration is always on not shitting your pants.

Dan headed North two days ago and initially I was really sad. He's the best travel partner I've ever had. But after relaxing into my own pace again, I'm enjoying it. The hostel threw their weekly dinner last night and Argentine beef is indeed delicious.
I met a funny Australian couple who were joyfully counting down the days (7) before parting forever and still enjoying each other's time. People mistook them for brother and sister by the way they called a spade a spade and gave each other crap. People mistook Dan and I for husband and wife on more than one occasion. I don't want to think of marriage and a sibling relationship is so similar. It's something on my mind but I don't have the words for it yet. It creeps me out something bad, for sure.

I talked with some other solo women travelers who are staying in Mendoza studying Spanish and are on "career breaks" whatever that means. Is that what I'm on? I now tell people, that I'm here between teaching jobs and here to study Spanish. I make it sound like it all has more of a predetermined purpose than it does. The westerners are very unquestioning about my approach to not knowing when I will "go home" (whatever that means) or that I'm looking for where I want to live next. The Chilean family thought it strange that I'd want to live so far away.

I talked with a biotech guy who seems to get himself laid off every couple of years and then goes and travels. We had a brief discussion about spirituality and politics. Hope can be similar in both, I think. For the third day in a row, Obama has made the front page of most of the newspapers.

There was a Dutch couple who loved Chile more than Argentina and when they eventually go home to Amsterdam, plan to check out the activities that their local hostels suggest. Funny how sometimes locals forget there is so much to do and just drop into a routine.

I've had 5 Japanese girls in the same dorm as me for the last two nights and it's been fantastic. I admit, I have been homesick for Japan and my life there. It's good to be here, but I miss the busy and sound of the language of Japan. Yesterday afternoon I lay in bed studying Spanish as they chatted amongst themselves in Japanese. It's all such a jumble in my head and being around Japanese speakers has helped the languages stay partitioned in my head a little, rather than just one pushing the other out.

and now it's time for a shower and organizing my bag before going for a walk and getting food for the bus. I hope Dan is doing well and got across the border alright.