Which was nothing as I'd expected...

... because I didn't have any expectations! The only housing information was given to me two days before leaving: "you'll be staying at the secretary's house."

Gustavo pulled up to a fenced-in front courtyard and the first greeting came from the hyperactive Scottish sheep dog named Boni, who goes nuts barking and bounding off the ledge only to jump back up again. 

(Boni, the lookout)

I hear "HOLA! Hi!" coming from the windows and suddenly my new family appears through the door to help me with my luggage: Vero, a very warm and spunky lady with her twin teenage daughters Chachi and Jemi (pronounced Jamie), who have the prettiest red hair and fair skin. All are bilingual in British English and Argentine Spanish, including the dog and the cat Jack. 

(Boni's butt, Chachi, Jemi, and Vero-- this picture was taken the next day but shh)

We thanked Gustavo then headed inside. Vero showed me around the house and laid down the law. There's one rule: no food upstairs. Other than that, they give me free reign of the house-- my own room and everything. But they save the best part for last... A POOL! For anyone who doesn't know me well, I live for water. So this was a lucky catch.

(heaven)

Aside from all the amenities, the family alone makes me feel at home. Or actually, more like that I'm on a tropical vacation. BAICA staff keeps welcoming me, saying they've been counting down the days till I arrive... it all feels better than I could've imagined.

Before Vero Chachi and Jemi left for a wedding in the afternoon, I unpacked and then Chachi walked me around the neighborhood to show me the Verdulería and Frutería (fresh veggies and fruit grocery) and the Coto (supermarket) nearby. While we walked, she told me about her recent mission trip. Already I can see how complex these girls are, and how distinct they are from each other in the little details.

After they left, I checked in with the family back home over wifi -- shoutout to Callaghan and Jake! iPod Touch was such a good purchase! <3 -- and then I decided to wander. I was also wicked hungry at this point, so I left with the good ol'Argentine llaves (keys) and headed the way we'd gone before. 

Only problem was that I turned left instead of right at the end of the street.

Call me directionally challenged, but I always figure that roads will meet up eventually. Parallel lines intersect, right? They don't, but eventually, after buying uvas (grapes) at the fruit grocery, I made it to Coto from the back way.

Shopping was a shocker.

Prices have more than doubled since the last time I was here. To be specific, inflation has increased 30% in the last month alone! I've also caught wind that they're releasing the US Dollar-- 2 years ago when I was here they banned it, developing the "blue market" for buying dollars at a much higher exchange rate than the official. In other words, this whole situation should be good for US Americans, but it's not when you're earning your pay in pesos... Since I'm on a budget and a gluten-free diet, my choices were limited. I had to put back the 50-peso cheese and the coffee, seeing as teacher salaries don't allow for much luxury in the indulgence department, but was able to buy the staples: salami, olives, yogurt, frozen veggies, and rice. 

And then again, I made a wrong turn somewhere.

I had no address, no phone, and no map. In my defense, the street we live on is a ghost street-- shorter than those parallel, so it doesn't meet with most of the cross streets. Also, at this point, I'm running off plane slumber so my memory's shot. Oh and not to mention that the provincias all reuse the street names I'm used to from la Capital Federal-- they all sound familiar even when they're not. Add all that to the fact I'm directionally challenged.

After an hour an a half of circling the 12-or-so-block radius in different directions, I made it home! 

It was good for me though-- nice exercise and I lost myself until I was found. Metaphorical connection to the spiritual life starts here.

No, but I'm not being sarcastic. I think walking is a very natural and spiritually rich practice-- we end up moving to the rhythm of our own pulse, which does wonders in clearing the mind.

Anyways eventually I cook dinner, skype, and get ready for bed. Just then, Vero returns with the girls and the ESL primary teacher named Candy from BAICA who came along to meet me-- we drink tea and chat until I can't stay awake any longer.

All in all, the day passed like a dream-- nice but doesn't feel real. It wasn't strongly plot-driven, as I didn't do much, but it was filled with new sights and a calmness that surrounded me all day. God's got me where he wants me, I'm pretty sure!

And now I leave you with the sunset view from my bedroom window...