dozing in Hotel Lyon (from yesterday)

Today is my 21st birthday! So excited to spend it in Bs As. I already feel like I could live here for a long time.. but my feet would have to toughen up, that's for sure. I've been here a couple hours and already am losing the skin off my feet at the same rate as I stripped off my jackets in the airport after landing. Missy, Melissa, Addy, and I (after changing out of long sleeves and pants) decided to walk around to find lunch. We wandered into a bodega to buy fruit and chose 4 bananas, 4 ciruelas (plums), and a big bunch of uvas (grapes). While walking, we ate some fruit amist the continual double-takes and slightly-subtle coaxes from men of all ages. I know we stick out like sore thumbs, what with mix of blinding white skin and foreign hair colors.-- not to mention that I was walking with only my toes jammed into Addy's 2-sizes too-small flats with my red blistered heels hanging off the backs. But anyways, we all agree that the attention is a definite ego-boost regardless. We took turns choosing directions at each street, and ended up at this perfect plaza. Exactly what I've been hoping for. Perfect weather with warm air that smells and sweeps crisp across our pinking skin.

Today does not feel like a day. It feels like 3 weeks and an hour all at once.

Earlier...
“Hace mucho tiempo que no he visto verde” (It's been a while since I've seen green)
Mis primeras palabras en Argentina. And how green and beautiful Buenos Aires is!
Backtrack to the beginning of the day, I woke up at 7:30am with enough time to organize and clean my room, have breakfast with Emy and my nieces, and play piano once more. My parents drove me to Logan and we got there with plenty of time to sit and relax for a while together. After saying our goodbyes, I headed through security and to my gate, and almost missed my flight to Atlanta! In Atlanta I met Missy at our gate, and shortly after, another girl (Melissa) with our group joined us. Before boarding, the three of us got dinner for the plane.

I’m writing this first post in Argentinia from Hotel Lyon. We are staying here one night. Everything has been going great.
My flight landed at 8 in the morning, went through customs, and waited…
On the way to the hotel we enjoyed a sleepy-sunny bus ride, while observing the sporadic cars parked on the side of the road in the green grass—passengers out of the cars, men shirtless, all basking in the sun.
First things first, we each were handed a roomkey. 303 was mine. The old-fashioned elevator was just big enough to fit me, my large suitcase, my medium suitcase, my small suitcase, Missy, her backpack, and her large suitcase. We reached the 3rd floor, but then came the keys. I cannot explain how confusing and difficult these locks were. After trying for about half an hour, one of the other students went down to the front desk to ask how to open the doors. From his report, they looked at him like he was crazy and said to turn the key. Well duh, right? Long story short, because I'm going to nap right now before our welcome dinner, Argentines have skills I never knew could exist. Each door has its own little trick.. we haven't found ours yet. So up until this point, the maid has opened the door and we're leaving a glass ashtray in the frame.

I am taking a 20 minute nap and then showering before dinner! chau. I will post this once I have 1. brain functioning and 2. internet

apologies for this incredibly scattered post... it will happen probably every time :]