Summer hits an end

Since I moved to the city last October, I kept hearing how much everyone looks forward to a "Chicago summer." Growing up in Northbrook, I didn't really understand all the hype. People look forward to summer everywhere. Why is it any more special in Chicago?

Visiting Osaka Garden in Hyde Park after seeing Promontory Point

So this summer, I took note of exactly why it was so exciting and why Chicagoans say that.

• Rooftops

Chicago has a ton of rooftop bars with amazing views

Roof at The Wit, IO Urban Roofscape at the Godfrey Hotel, the J. Parker, Citizen Bar, Packing House, Epic, Three Forks, and Vertigo at the Dana Hotel are just a few that my friends and I hit up this summer. Patios like Kirkwood, Sheffield's, Las Fuentes and The Dawson are just a few more outdoor gems that were frequent destinations.

Chris, Lexi, Gwen and I at the J. Parker

• What a big deal it is to be able to not bring a jacket

There is already coat check at most restaurants and bars in the city, and the days of going to work without a coat are long gone. Because the winter (and fall...and sometimes spring) are so rough weather-wise, people sensationalize summer because of how glorious it is to not have loads of clothing.

• Baseball games

With both Wrigley Field and US Cellular easily accessible from anywhere in the city, and many businesses carrying season tickets, baseball games provide an easy, quick nighttime activity. Because of that, I went to 12 baseball games this summer (and only paid for 3 of them!).

Some coworkers and I at a Cubs game

• Boat cruises

With Lake Michigan right here, boat cruises are quite the event. There's nothing like being on a boat with all of your friends and seeing an amazing skyline! I am thankful to have gone on three- one on the river, one on the lake and one at Lake Geneva in Wisconsin!

View of the Chicago skyline from Lake Michigan

• Festivals

I wrote about these earlier in the summer, but the festivals never end. Whether it's a neighborhood festival, burger fest, art festival or the Air & Water Show, there is always something to see.

Jessica, Meredith and I at Lakeview Taco Fest on Southport

Chicago Air & Water Show

Last weekend was Chicago's 56th Annual Air & Water Show at North Avenue Beach. I hadn't been to this since middle school - and even then we watched from inside a condo - so I was excited to check this out.

It was the only night of the year besides the 4th of July Fireworks where the entire city comes out on the lakefront. Arriving shortly after the 10 a.m. start time, the lakefront was already packed. Speakers on the side of the path stream live emceeing from men inside the planes, who introduce what's going to happen in the air before you watch it. The announcers and planes were phenomenal, the weather was beautiful and all of it was entirely free. It felt like the city of Chicago was in the Hunger Games and that at any point of time, someone on the speakers could ask for a tribute.

If you missed it this year, I highly recommend it for the future. Check out some photos!

The crowd at the Fullerton Beach area

Planes over Lake Michigan

Two sets of planes, including the Blue Angels which returned

Two planes making a heart in the sky with a plane flying through as an arrow

A weekend in Lake Geneva

At the beginning of August, we went to Lake Geneva for Lexi's bachelorette party. Her family has a lake house up there, right downtown, so it was a peaceful weekend on a pontoon and outside of the city. I hadn't seen the lake since Fanari back in high school, so it was nice to see what a large, beautiful lake is just miles north of Chicago!

The group 

Some of the Mizzou girls

Lexi with a champagne sparkler toast at Carvetti's 

A Trip to Carnivale

The past few years, I've always driven past Carnivale off the 94 and wanted to eat there. It looks like a janky restaurant off the highway, but one of those places you have to try to say you've done it. The large two-story building is painted with rainbow colors on the outside, and I had no idea what the inside looked like. So naturally, Hannah, Eleni and I tried it on a weekday afternoon to check it out while we were on the west side.

The inside of Carnivale

Baked goat cheese, Ropa Vieja steak and Crab Cakes for apps

Carnivale ice cream cake and Berry Brazo Gitano desserts

It exceeded any and ALL expectations! We only did appetizers, drinks (ok, tequila) and dessert - but the food was all phenomenal. Highly recommended Chicago restaurant destination! 

Summer in the Chi

While June was full of festivals, July flew by with weddings, rooftops and fun times with friends. 

Here are just a few of the highlights!  

Hanging on adorable patios is a favorite Chicago pastime, and Kalyn, Stacey and I tried Las Fuentes in Lincoln Park for Kalyn's arrival home from Mexico.

Garfield Park Conservatory

Greek craziness at St. Haralambos for their annual Greekfest

Taking a summer afternoon off of work to go to Navy Pier with Lena + the Stornellos, and ride the Seadog

Greek Heritage Night at the White Sox game 

Chicago Architectural Boat Tour

Team bar crawl down Southport Corridor

Two Cubs games in three days with friends' tickets

Greek Young Adult Boat Cruise - successful event! 

Summerfest

Last Sunday, I went to the Milwaukee Summerfest grounds with Hannah for the Usher concert.

It was the first time since high school, when we went straight to the main theater for the Blink 182 concert. Back then, we exited the highway, got dinner in a lesser built up area of town and didn't really get to explore the festival, so honestly speaking…my opinion of Milwaukee was not a high one.

Over the past two years, I've had the opportunity to see a bit more of Milwaukee and appreciate its lakefront location, culture and character. This time when we went to the Summerfest Grounds, I saw everything it had to offer. You can see the entire skyline from the theater, and plenty of small bands and stages on the way to the main show. Take a look!

Summerfest Main Gate 

The grounds are right on the edge of Lake Michigan!

Hidden stages as small as the tiki hut...

…And as large as the Harley Davidson Stage

View of Summerfest Grounds & downtown Milwaukee from the top of the Marcus Amphitheater

Marcus Amphitheater

Hannah and I in the lawn in the thunderstorm while Usher sings "U Got It Bad"

Chi festivals

One of the most fun things about Chicago (and any city) during the summer is checking out the array of festivals. They show the flavor of the neighborhood you are in, serve some of the greatest food and display some of the coolest art, clothing and jewelry in the city. Check out some of the festivals I've gotten to see this month for the first time.

Do Division Fest in Wicker Park with Stacey & Anna the first weekend of June

Lincoln Park Greek Fest at St. George on Sheffield

Belmont-Sheffield Music Festival in Lakeview

The joys of having hundreds of people right outside of your apartment!

Chicago Blues Festival in Grant Park

Chicago Blues Festival in Grant Park

Taste of Randolph - a time to explore the West Loop & drink some of the best sangria!

Wells Street Art Fest in Old Town 

Wells Street Art Fest in Old Town

Although this wasn't in Chicago, for the third year in a row I went up to Milwaukee for Annunciation Church's Greek Festival at Wisconsin State Far. Always a great time!

Things I miss in Argentina

Things I miss about Argentina

• My roommates- love you Stacey, Elizabeth and Jordin!
• Dulce de leche- similar to carmel. Yum.
• Pomelo- grapefruit soda. CRAVE.
• Walking everywhere. And loving every minute of it.
• The cost of living- VERY favorable to Americans
• The cost of taxis: Each 200 meters going up 10 US cents and us thinking it was 'expensive.'
• Mate- the traditional herb in a gourd that is like tea but better.
• Willingness to help- Every porteño regardless of what they were doing would always answer my annoying questions- were we going the right way, at the right bus stop, near the right street, etc. and usually even follow up!
• Public transit- Taking the Subte everywhere and not having to drive!
• Traveling and it not being a big deal

Things I don't miss about Argentina

• Paying for toilet paper- toilet paper wasn't usually provided in public bathrooms, so you have to bring your own or hope that there's someone there you can buy it from.
• Not having tap water- restaurants only serve bottled water, usually con gas (mineral water).
• Free refills- What a value.
• Movistar cellphone- my crazy phone where texts were in T9 Spanish and the company was my only text message. But hey, I do miss not being able to be contacted!
• Daily usage of power converters- So nice to not have to remember to bring a charger and a converter to work everyday.
• Hostels- They live up to the stereotypes.
• Service charge at restaurants- Although I miss having no tax, it's nice to not have to pay a service charge for the bread at restaurants.
• Having to find coins and change everywhere- paying with a $20 bill and not having to find singles has never felt so good! No one in Argentina has change, expect banks from 9 am to 3 pm, work hours, and you usually just don't make a purchase if you don't have exact change or small bills.
• Customer service and service in general- The Argentine service is a cultural and South America thing, but essentially is not existent. I will not miss having to flag down waiters for the check, asking for a menu because it's assumed you don't need one sometimes, separate checks and all the little conveniences we have. One of my co-workers, when I explained this phenomena, actually said "There [in the US], people complain if what they get isn't perfect or what they asked for. But here, everything is bad, and we just get adjusted to it and don't care anymore." Haha.

The Quote List: Part 2

In case you thought my quote list was over, I just found a book of quotes from Mendoza! Amusing trip, amusing quotes!

• It's a hostel, you're going to have to deal with poop. -Elizabeth
• I know we need to get off at Riga & Guemes, but I don't know where it is so that's good. -me
• As if we don't stand out enough, give us red ski pants. -Jordin
• MR. HUGO! -Jordin
• I might as well [tell my parents the La Plata Story] because then they'll know that I do things and respect me more. -Stacey
• My dad took a maintenance job at a motel once and I was like...what? -Stacey
• If Mr. Hugo, like, what's his name, would have been easier on the wine.... - Elizabeth
• I'm cutting myself off and that never happens. -Jordin
• No hay empanadas de caprese. Ella es vegeteriana. Ah, caprese. -us and our waiter who wouldn't bring cheese empanadas for Elizabeth
• Maybe if they only had 3 left or something and he wanted them. -Stacey, discussing why the waiter would only bring us meat empanadas although Elizabeth is a vegetarian and asked for others
• I can't believe we rented ski equipment in that condition. -Stacey "I don't even remember anything about getting gloves." -Jordin
• I'm going to get married twice so I can have one honeymoon in Iguazu and the other in Mendoza. -Jordin, serious
• You're like a broken record, you've repeated yourself like 9 times. -Stacey, to Jordin
• I don't even know what I ordered. -Jordin
• You could go as Carolina and borrow my sweater. -Stacey, to Elizabeth
• (Discussing why mate is a difficult yet interesting concept) The point is that 1 you're still carrying around an open cup, 2 you can't set it down anywhere and 3, you will sometimes need a thermos. It's not an expedited process. Is the culture really better when you're watching 30 kids and holding all this mate? It's just not necessary. -Stacey (it really is complicated!!)
• I was on the phone with Texas for 12 hours- my license had a felony hold. -Elizabeth
• How do we always end up at McDonalds before the Omnibus? -Stacey
• My life on an omnibus. -Stacey
• Can you do that? Probably in South America. -Talking about taking extra wine to go from a restaurant when you don't finish the bottle
• Sorry, are you talking about a distant relative from Yemen? -Elizabeth, talking about Stacey's boss calling gmail HEY-MAIL
• We haven't even gotten to tomorrow yet! -me, referring to telling stories from yesterday
• We could make an entire movie about our weekend. -Elizabeth, on our Mendoza trip
• Ugh...there's a child. -Jordin, on the 12 hour bus
• They can have the honor of being in my profile picture even though they're in high school. -Jordin on our friends at the hot springs

The Quote List

Here is an abridged (yes) version of my quote list from our trip. Brief contextual explanations are provided when necessary, but otherwise, just sit back and enjoy the humor of what people say on an average day!

• “This place is in Uruguay…oh, ON Uruguay.” Jordin, 5-19
• That’s why I hate Mizzou. I have to take a class on guinea tribes and know all about those, but I can’t order a steak in Spanish. Jess, 5-19
• I’m going to tip him extra and tell him the money is for my ring. –Jess, 5-19
• “We have a president and it is a she.” –Carolina, 5-20
• “I want to get one of those huge things and act like we’re all obsessed with it.” –Stacey and mate, 5-20
• “Why is my mom calling right now?” –Jordin, 1:40 am, 5-21
• “It must do wonders for your self-esteem but Argentinian women are like ice queens.” –Sebastian, 5-21
• To Han: “If you missed your flight after only drinking coffee, how are you going to be on mate?” –Jordin, 5-21
• “I even posted on total GDI move.” –Sebastian, 5-21
• “I mean…GDI just stands for god damn irresistible.” –Sebastian, 5-21 “What’s with Greeklife and abbreviations?” –Sebastian, 5-21
• The neighbor was like…there’s four of you and you’re the only one who got things stolen?” –Stacey, 5-21
• “Well…this is perfect to write about for Welshful Thinking. I should just take a picture of my purse without the wallet in it. My life.
  –Stacey, 5-21
• I haven’t seen this stuffjournalists like twitter. Like..I like all of these things!!
• (Ensalada del día) I was going to ask them what was in it, but I wouldn’t have understood anything he was saying so I just didn’t bother. -Jordin, 5-21
• “That’s the one thing I miss. Refills.” - Stace
• “Maybe we should just get delivery so we don’t embarrass ourselves.” -Jordin
• You can’t assume anything, we’re in South America (lettuce on the salad) –Jordin
• I’m sick of us speaking in Spanish because all we do is say the same things! –Stacey
• “I feel like my English is actually getting a little worse.”
• Why is this exactly how I imagined it? We’re going around and learning dances from Argentine men and eating meat. –Elizabeth, 5-25
• “I was so scared, you guys have no idea.” –Stacey, 5-25 I should check if I got robbed.”
• I literally made the sign of the cross when I got into that club. –Stacey, 5-25
• Every time we leave the house I think we’re gonna die a little bit. -Elizabeth
• Carolina told me big city, big eyes! –Stacey, 5-25
• Who cares about cinco de mayo when we have VEINTICINCO de mayo?!
• Everything that comes out of your mouth is just gold. –Elizabeth to Stacey, 5-25
• “We couldn’t speak to Spain.” –Elizabeth and Jordin
• Does that happen to everyone that does this program?, 5-26 Stacey, 5:30 am
• “Just sayin…found my papi.” –Jordin, 5-26, 5:30 am
• Who am I? What happened? –Elizabeth , 5-26, 5:30 am
• The guys in Missouri suck. They’re so f’in repressed.” -5-26, Elizabeth, 5:30 am
• I told Pedro we like the pomelo. –Stacey, 5-26
• We’re winning guys!! –Jordin
• Guys this is probably the best thing I’ve ever written. My mom’s gonna be so mad.” –Jordin, 5-31
• “I walked into UCA to see what it was like.” –Stacey, 5-31
• I can understand Alejandro and my PASantia peeps but not f’in Sebastian! –Elizabeth, 6-1
• He wrote on my wall “saw In The Heights…I know you’re jealous.” And I was pissed because I WAS JEALOUS! HE KNEW! –Elizabeth, 6-1
• Sebastian must have been on the floor drooling to be called out on sleeping during class and not Jordin. –All about Alejandro’s class, 6-1
• Oh my God I love this cat I just want to give him a hug. –Stacey, 6-1
• “Kip and John are on my tell off list.” –Stacey, 6-2, on the criminals/ “easy work”
• The best thing is he wants me to ue the camera Carolina has to film this thing! –Stacey, 6-2
• CFK’s son followed me on Twitter! –Stacey, 6-2
• Just take a nap then drink some mate. –Jordin convincing Stacey to see Que Pasó Ayer 2, 6-5
• He’s such a cutie! Like wouldn’t you just die if you saw him playing with his son? –Stacey on Alejandro, 6-7
• I’m dressed up because I’m running out of things to wear! –Stacey, 6-8
• I wanted to tell Carolina my story about the Coldplay concert, but 1 she wouldn’t have cared, and 2 it would have just taken too much time to tell in Spanish.
• I mean study abroad is just one really long vacation that your parents pay for, right? –Elizabeth, 6-9
• Patagonia has volcanoes. In Buenos Aires we have… strikes”” - Carolina Escudero
• So the criminals kept asking me questions about the judicial system in the US…and I like didn’t have answers.” –Stacey, 6-9
• I just love the bromance! Stacey, 6-10
• Guys it was family day at work! Everyone and their mother and their kids were there. I had to give so many kisses/besitos! Elizabeth, 6-10
• It’s so weird getting ready to go out this early. –Jordin, 6-10, 9 pm
• I speak more Spanish when I go out then at my internships. Maybe I should just go out every night instead of working internships. –Elizabeth, 6-11
• I’m on 57 on the top 200 Latin American iTunes songs sold. No I have no effing clue what you are talking about. –Jordin on the song, 6-11 IT WAS NUMBER 134 AND IT’S CALLED PRUUM. – Elizabeth, 6-11
• “Everything we’ve done outdoes the last crazy thing that we did.” –Stacey, 6-12
• We should have a day where we just make an album of all the American stereotypes.” –Elizabeth, 6-13
• How long did you leave that popcorn in? Two minutes and 17 seconds. –Jordin and Elizabeth
• Guys..we’re winning at being funny. –Stacey, 6-14 Not sleep. –Elizabeth
• “Why does she email us when she’s sitting right there?” –Stacey, 6-15
• Come to Argentina and work for my news portal…FREE LABOR!!!” –Katie, 6-15
• Elizabeth had the best meal of her life tonight too. Burger King. VEGETARIAN SANDWICH! It was the best meal I have had here.
• My mom literally said “honey I wouldn’t with your luck.” –Stacey, 6-16
• And he wrote the email in English and Spanish! –Jordin, on random man in the street
• Can I just make up a cell phone number? I did that at the Western Union. –Elizabeth & Stacey. “I just started rattling off random numbers.”
• How did people book flights without the internet? –Elizabeth “Let’s go to iguazu!” 6-18
• I used to freak out about driving to Fulton.” –Stacey Now we don’t even know which airport we’re flying into. Where am I? No one will help me.
• Katie: This bread must’ve been so good. Elizabeth: ARE YOU SERIOUS KATIE. WE’RE MISSOURI JOURNALISM STUDENTS, WE DID NOT CONSUME THE FOOD! Stace: We didn’t have empanadas…
• This is the most epic trip of my life. What are we doing?!
• Jordin: Not to get all philosophical and shit, but who the f* thought to make popcorn? Seriously, who saw all these little kernels and thought hey! I wonder what happens when you heat these up. WHO THE F*?! 6-18
• “Guys...if I get an A on this test, we’re going out with Alejandro for a celebratory tomar algo.” –Jordin, 6-20
• Guys, boys in botanical gardens with cats on their laps are clearly just looking for women!” –Katie
• Do they just go sit down and socialize with random people?! Katie Who are we to judge?! –Stacey
• Gustavo..I mean, Gonzalo! –Stacey
• All of Welshful thinking is white girl problems…
• My zoo pictures are taking forever! White girl problems.
• Guys, I have so many profile picture options I just can’t decide! White girl problems.
• What is this? The raddison? Oh wait…it is. -6-21, Elizabeth
• We should’ve asked him to tomar algo! -6-21, all, about the room service man. “He came in a little costume!” Everyone asks us, it’s about time we ask men! [to tomar algo] -6-21
• Have you ever gotten a FB chat from someone you didn’t want to talk to and gone offline? I’m pretty sure my dad did that to me.” –Sebastian, 6-21
• (On getting carded) They asked me. This was two years ago, I was so excited. –Carolina
• They will tell you about a tango spectacle. I do not recommend the tango spectacular. It is not that great. –Carolina
• You won’t let me take a picture of the US embassy but you’ll take us out? –us, after the tour
• They have parkas. .. You can stay in longer than 30 minutes, but it increases your risk of like…hypothermia. –Stacey, 6-22
• So today we met the security guard at the US embassy and he invited us out, but this is like a daily occurrence so we were like nahh.” –Elizabeth on skype, 6-22
• It wasn’t because she was dumb, it’s because she was stupid.” –Elizabeth, 6-23
• How did people book flights without the internet? –Elizabeth “Let’s go to iguazu!” 6-18
• I used to freak out about driving to Fulton.” –Stacey Now we don’t even know which airport we’re flying into. Where am I? No one will help me. -6/18
• Tengo un montón de gringos.” –man at Monte Carlo TV station about going in the HD bus
• ¿Hay una reunion, sí? Bajan sus voces.” –concierge, 6-22 at night
• Su vuelo es cancelado.” –Despegar
• By the way, I’m not telling my parents about leaving my charger. So if you ever meet them, don’t mention it. Please don’t. Because they always say KEEP TRACK OF YOUR STUFF! And that was the definition of not keeping track of your stuff. Literally, my dad instead of saying goodbye says keep track of your stuff! And I’m like, bye! –Stacey, 6-23
• Radisson: “They said he was coming down now and I was like ‘OUR FLIGHT IS LEAVING NOW. We are going to be late now! And I do not think he liked my expression.” –Carolina, 6-23
• Pottermore is like Harry Potter and World of Warcraft, it’s like the two most addicting things!…it will take over the world of nerdhood.
• They’re not going to have a life. –Stacey 6-23
• Where’s Paraguay? Oh..I think it’s right past the bank. –Jordin and I, 6-24
• (about the heladería in Puerto Iguazu) Jordin: He loves us. Stacey: We tend to have that effect on people here. 6-24
• Four countries in 24 hours!
• Screw UT! They’re all like…we have a partnership with the University of Cordoba and we’re like…well WE have a partnership with CAROLINA. –Stacey, 6-24
• I always wonder if there are secret things under the waterfalls.” –Han, 6-25
• And they have all these signs that say “cerrado” but you can just go past them. There are really good views! –Han, 6-25
• Trashy to classy in one photoshop click.” –Jordin, 6-27
• And she treats my stuffed animal like a king! –Jordin, 6-27
• Carolina, I can’t do this, Jordin is applying for an American reality tv classic and I want to help her.” –Stacey on the bachelorette, 6-27
• This information is GOLD. –Carolina, 6-29, on other BA study abroad programs
• Helicopter sound at school: “Cristina está volviendo a su casa.” –Carolina, 6-29
• And the demonstrations. That was really really weird. –Carolina, 6-29
• What I can do? I have a flight in two hours and we don’t have a president.” –Carolina, 6-29
• I called my parents to ask what I supposed to do? And my parents say you know our country, just come. It was ok, then I came back to Brussels.” –Carolina, 6-29
• Por favor no duermas en clase. –Alejandro, 6-30
• El rap es muy importante en Nueva York, sí? Alejandro, 6-30
• We’re going to the Argentine Oscars!” –Stacey & Elizabeth
• Why does this feel so normal? I feel like we’ve lived in this apartment and that I’ve known you guys my entire life!” –Elizabeth
• There’s a priest in Ballwin that was inappropriate with teens. I thought we were done with this! –Stacey, 7-2
• Other people do not have the privilege of listening to Carolina skype in French for two hours. Who was she skyping? Probably Strauss Kahn. –Katie, Stacey, Elizabeth, 7-1
• I really want to be in a country while there’s a coup. It would be really cool…if I lived.” –Elizabeth, 7-3
• Would you ever take grasshoppers and take their legs off? –Elizabeth, 7-3
• When I was 9 years old my dad used to tell me this story abou taking out his scorpion and I was like that’s really cool dad! And now I’m like…that’s really weird dad. -Sebastian, 7-3
• You need to work this out because it is today.” –Carolina, 7-4, to Stacey about the Silver Condor
• I will be in trouble in Argentina, so I will publish it in the states.” -Carolina, 7-5
• Yo soy un freelancer, why? I do not want my name associated with the government. Carolina, 7-5
• Por ejemplo where is my cellphone? –Carolina, 7-5
• I can’t imagine walking into a convenience store and not having to repeat myself four times to find what I’m actually buying. Or being stared at on the bus. Or killing myself waiting for the 152 to get here in the morning. Or bagging my own groceries! –Elizabeth, 7-5
• Estaría avergonzado en esta situación. –Alejandro on having a sombrero put on your head, 7-5
• Como Taco Bell?” –Alejandro, with certainty, 7-5
• In what universe did we think that thing was going to work?!” –Stacey, 7-6, about the hair dryer crazy thing
• In what universe do they think Mostaza is going to give them their food on time?” –us, 7-6, 5:53 pm, before class
• Who are you and where do you sit? –escuela de periodismo woman, 7-7
• Is there anywhere in the world where a white man gets hit on? –Keith, 7-7
• 90% of my Spanish is non-verbal. –Keith, 7-7
• I have a picture of an orangutan on my Facebook. Who should I tag it as? –Keith, 7-7
• I wish I had a button that’s like a debby downer button that I could press for all the Staceyisms.” –Sebastian, -7-7
• ¿Hay alguien encerrado en su casa?! –Alejandro, 7-7Who said you’re out interviewing movie stars? Stacey: or prisoners. 7-9
• Don’t you love how we bought these tickets 24 hours ago? –Armeen, 7-7
• That’s happened to me three times now, I just couldn’t get the door open! And you can’t crawl out of these ones either! I’m not going to call you on the phone, but I was like hoping someone would come open it. –Stacey, bathroom door, 7-8
• Let’s look at where we are today. Yesterday, we went to Spanish, work, and Keith was over and our friend. Now we’re in Cordoba, 10 hours away, and Keith is CRAZY! Look what can happen in 24 hours! –Stacey, 7-8
• That granola bar lady! –Everyone, on the bus, 7-9
• I’m going to sleep with my purse like a stuffed animal. –Stacey, 7-8
• I could see if I left my purse there for a second, but I didn’t! It was on my shoulder! –Stacey, 7-8
• You have a lot of stories.” –Carolina to Stacey
• Bueno, la alegría. –Alejandro, during the laughter class one Thursday
• El jabón es común para usar aquí? –Stacey to Alejandro, 7-12 I mean la palabra!!
• No sabes como, pero finalmente, estás borracho.” –Alejandro, 7-12
• This really is free labor. –Stacey, 7-13
• Don’t tell, don’t ask.” –Carolina, about Sebastian, 7-13
• You look like you’re on the same team.” –Carolina, 7-26, on Stacey and Katie wearing similar outfits
• Have fun and drink lots of…mineral water *facial expression,” –Carolina, 7-13 on Mendoza
• I’m going to look at the hairy leg once I have clothes on.” –Stacey, 7-18
• I’ve already lost some of my hearing I’m sure.” –Stace, 7-18
• I think anything with mundial is funny. –Stacey Kind of like seguridad.
• Isn’t it weird when someone you barely know likes like the 8^th profile picture of you? – Elizabeth, 7-18
• We should make a movie called Hostel Behavior. -Elizabeth, 7-19
• Hay que probar colores que queden mejor que esto que hay –Carolina, 7-20
• I’m just SO EXCITED that he can speak English! –Stace on the Adidas man, 7-20
• And the taxi driver was telling me about Día del Amigo and he was like tenés amigos? And I was like yeah.” –Han, 7-20
• WOOT we get a refrigerator magnet!” –Jordin, 7-20
• This stupid cake tried to screw up my life. -Katie, 7-20
• I mean we’re all thinking it, we’re just not going to SAY it.” –Stacey
• Want to hear something really strange? I finally get where Carolina is coming from with this.” –Stacey, 7-20
• There’s like a sign stuck on a tree with a piece of gum. “ –Stacey, 160 bus, 7-21
• You know what’s even sadder than eating the 5.0? Eating it by yourself.” –Sam, 7-23 I had to buy a bottle of water.
• He was like, walking the other way and I was like, jumping in front of a bus.” –Elizabeth, 7-23
• Telling the taxi driver “el restuarante cerca del Sheraton con muchas banderas.” -7-23
• Do you guys mind if I go to bed?” –Stace, 7-23
• If your grandparents aren’t racist, they’re not real people.” –Sam, 7-23
• Guys, everything has come full circle. The first Saturday here, my wallet was stolen. My last Saturday here, I bought a new one!” –Stacey, 7-23
• AMY WINEHOUSE DIED. Rehab? I hope she died in like a car accident or something. Nope…it was drugs.Katie, Stacey, Elizabeth, Stacey, 7-23
• I feel like whenever I go on Twitter, I always see all these posts about nutella. Like why are they crazies? I have an excuse, I’m in a country without peanut butter. –Stacey, 7-24
• No se puede sacar fotos. –Guy at museum to Stacey, 7-24
• Sam, you’re already an infinitely better house guest than Keith.” –Elizabeth, 7-24
• Check it out, I got a new mate!” –Jordin, 7-24
• I’m also really excited to see Katie artemas in New York. Maybe her assertiveness will rub off on me.” –Stacey, 7-24
• I was just shaking the whole time. It’s like I was on drugs. It was an exceptionally good show, and I was in the front row. But…I think I’m just going to have a heart attack.” –Elizabeth, 7-24
• I think this might be a better day than the day I get married. Better than graduation, my 21^st birthday…” Elizabeth, 7-24
• And they always tell you to not go to La Boca at night…so of course that’s the first place I went.” –Joshua, 7-25, from Texas Tech
• I don’t understand how he got that from agua, but I had to get the hello kitty out of there! –Joshua, 7-25, on asking donde está el agua and having a random man lead him into corner and stick his finger in his behind
• Sounds like everything has different connotations. –Han, 7-25
• Stace, when someone elbows you in the face, you can’t say that’s okay.” –Sebastian, bday
• Bueno. La ironía. –Stacey, 7-26
• Yeah I’m pissed. I was like sweating when we started dancing.” –Stacey, 7-26, 3:20 a.m.
• And what saves Cinderella? La universidad, el trabajo, sus amigas, un proyecto en Greenpeace, tampoco Amnesty Internacional, no. Un principe. –Carolina, 7-26, clase de género
• Katie, I have a gossip for you. The parents of Kylie se nombra because they like Kylie Minoque. Are you named Katie for Katie Holmes? -7-26, Miguel
• This cake tried to screw up my life. -me
• I cannot control YouTube of FinalCut. Ya saben. -Stacey, 7-27
• And we didn't really have an office so I was having meetings with the students in a bar. It was really hippie. -Carolina, on the Buenos Aires program, 7-27
• And you were red, I can imagine. -Carolina, 7-27
• I have been living 7 years in French speaking countries and your English is too fast. -Carolina to Fritz Cropp, our study abroad coordinator, 7-27
• En el invierno, tomamos mate. They publish a picture of me in St. Louis at a Cardinals game with a red shirt and hat, holding a Coke. That is very controversial. So I was like maybe in Switzerland they like it but that is not so Latin American. –Carolina, 7-27, on an article written about her
• Maybe if I walk around with it like this it’ll just fall. –Stacey on getting a cork out of a bottle of wine, 7-28
• What do you think is the best method of getting this switch blade through customs? -Jordin to her mom, 7-29
• Honey I don’t think that’s a good idea. –Jordin’s mom's response, 7-29
• I am an avid syllabi reader, woman! -Cally, 7-30, on annoying professors lying about not reading their syllabus
• Why is everyone so mean here? NO wonder people think poorly of the US. They cross the border and the first person they see is an a**hole who hates their job. “ –Jessica on arriving back into the United States, 7-31

Regresar a casa/Coming home

Plane experience

I can’t say my flight experiences have been good ones to and from Argentina. Both were overnight, bumpy, involved little sleep and poor service. From Miami to Chicago, I asked the flight attendant for a tissue when she came with the drink cart and she told me to go to the bathroom (instead of giving me one of the napkins in front of her). We’re leaning toward the Argentine service level here.

From Buenos Aires to Miami, Cally, Jordin, Jess and I took off at 8:30 p.m. Dinner arrived around 9:30, and by that time…I was unfortunately asleep. Instead of tapping me, giving me a meal or asking the person next to me, I was just skipped. No food. Having not eaten since 1 p.m. that afternoon, when I woke up to the food cart 10 rows behind me, I was pretty upset. I pushed the flight attendant button three times and no one came back. FINALLY when they PICKED UP the trays, I begged for a plate of food and got one. But gosh forbid they come and pick it up, right? So I scarfed it down with the flight attendant awkwardly standing there waiting for it as she was on her last garbage check. In the process of begging for dinner, the woman next to me spilled her Coke on my blanket. Fun flight.

Current events

As journalism students, we always have to be up on what the most important current events are and how they affect us as students, humans and a journalism school. My GoogleReader news gave me a lot of updates this summer on what was going on, but Google Argentina could only link me to so much information in English.

Stacey compiled this list of the top 5 news stories we need to read up on upon returning home to be updated on American society.

1. The current debt and default situation

2. The Joplin tornado

3. Casey Anthony

4. Twit-pic’d NY politician

5. Murdoc phone tapping

Benefits of being back in the US

Back in the US, everything is going to be so easy. We realized this at the Miami airport when we could speak English to the Customs employees. Everyday errands and necessities can be completed in our first language. Making reservations, ordering dinner or planning trips will be a breeze since we’ve had so much experience doing them…in Spanish. Driving across Missouri seems like nothing after flying and bussing through all of Argentina, and our worries have simmered down after what we’ve accomplished here.

Having a cell phone back will make me less of a Facebook, Twitter and Skype addict. Jordin and I laugh at ourselves because our friends from home probably think we’re crazy always logged into all of our social media, but it’s our only way to contact our friends in the United States. Anytime you would randomly text a friend a question, request or funny story, we would have to message, email, Skype chat or tweet at these friends to get a hold of them. If I wanted to Skype my parents, I’d Facebook chat a friend and ask them to call my house and tell my family to log on Skype. Now, I’LL just be able to text or call them! How fascinating communication is!

As much as I’ll miss Buenos Aires, I look forward to applying my experiences and lessons from my internship, 12 credits of classes, daily urban commutes and international travel stories to what I do in Chicago and at Mizzou. Thank you to anyone who followed my summer experiences here!

My roommates and I on our couch on our first day in Buenos Aires...

....and our last

La Comida

As young adults, my roommates and I prioritized eating all of our favorite Argentina food our last few days. We definitely ate more than we were actually hungry for, but here’s the food we’ll miss in Argentina:

Empanadas from La Cocina

Empanadas are phenomenal and have basically created our Argentina diet. Empanadas are stuffed with carne (meat), pollo (chicken), queso y cebolla (cheese and onion) and a variety of other things. Our favorite empanadas were from La Cocina, a restaurant within walking distance of our apartment. The seasoning was phenomenal and the chicken and meat empanadas were also stuffed with eggs (Argentina likes to put egg in everything) and potatoes (YUM). This was our last meal in Buenos Aires and will definitely be missed!

Elizabeth and I with our empanadas

Dulce de leche

This “cono de cuatro” from Mostaza is a $1 USD soft-serve dulce de leche ice cream cone from a fast-food restaurant that’s only a 5 minute walk from Carolina’s office. Stacey and I ate here every Wednesday, and got cones as often as possible. YUM. Alfajores (cookies) and a lot of our other BA staple dessert items have dulce de leche, so I brought a jar back as well.

Helado

Ice cream in Argentina is a little thicker, and tastes phenomenal. It’s also very affordable, can be fruity and sherbert if you want it to or fill your chocolate/dulce de leche needs.

Here’s a cone from Modena, the ice cream store that we frequent down the block. The employee knows us and giggles at how often we come in. Freddo is usually where we go for internet, and their ice cream is great too. Here’s what Stacey and I ordered the other day! Woot promociones!

Red meat

Stacey and I returned to La Payuca, a steakhouse-type restaurant near our house to get their afternoon special. Bife de chorizo was our last red meat meal, but we will never forget this, bife de lomo, carne asado and all the other red meat dishes we’ve eaten here. They don’t even need seasoning and are always cooked how you want them.

Stacey at La Payuca with bife de chorizo

Wine

Argentine wine is from Mendoza and amazing. It’s cheaper if not the same price as water at most restaurants, and just goes down really well. I’ll miss not being able to go into a restaurant or grocery store and buy wine, at least for the next six months. This is more depressing because one of my most fond roommate memories is when the four of us go out to dinner together; it’s like we’re on Sex & The City, everyone with their favorite menu item and drink. Going out for drinks is a social thing that can be done early afternoon or late at night, and a way to hang out with people. It’s fun to relax after class and go to Fridays and get mojitos and margaritas. I’ll have to wait until January to take part in this again (21). Good thing my red wines made it past customs!

Carolina

On our last full day, Stacey and I went to our program director Carolina’s office to drop off some items from our apartment to donate give to future students on this trip. Carolina invited us to hang out and drink some mate, and we chatted with her about our experience and future plans.

Carolina and her accomplishments have always impressed us. We spent the majority of our trip wondering how Mizzou went about finding her to lead our program in Buenos Aires, especially since she’s currently a freelance journalist. She explained that Fritz Cropp (Mizzou J-School study abroad director) had met her at a conference in Buenos Aires upon looking for a director, and went to a meeting a few weeks later in Washington D.C. with some people from the European Union that worked there with Carolina. They convinced Fritz that he had to find and hire her because she was so amazing. He contacted her and she was unaware of what she wanted to do—move to Patagonia, go back to Europe, whether she was staying in Argentina, but ended up accepting the job and figured she’d give it a try.

Carolina in her Puerto Madero Mizzou office

That’s already pretty impressive. How many people, in a time of uncertainty about their future, would volunteer to be the guardian, professor and trip organizer for American students with questionable Spanish in Argentina? Carolina would. She likes what she’s doing, and continues to freelance instead of work for a specific publication because of the government’s relationship with the press in Argentina. She even told us once:

• “Yo soy un freelancer, why? I do not want my name associated with the government.” -7-5

In here “free” time, she researches world issues and writes about them. At 34 years old, she speaks five languages (Spanish, French, Italian, English, Dutch, and is learning Chinese). Discussing her study on Argentina’s government spending on campaign advertising and its massive increase, Carolina said:

• “I will be in trouble in Argentina, so I will publish it in the states.” Carolina, 7-5

How intelligent! But that isn’t it. While some people choose to settle down, she chooses to keep going. The Argentina program is more popular in the spring and summer for J-School students, so Carolina gets this fall off. She’s moving to Bolivia to live with female farmers (campesinas) and learn more about how they see ecofeminism. If that’s not enough, she’ll be working at an institute for teenage girls who have been sexually abused, and teaching them coping mechanisms, laughter yoga and ecofeminism as well. While she’s there, she managed to schedule an interview time with EVO MORALES, the PRESIDENT OF BOLIVIA who is very controversial (not educated, Indian, only speaks Spanish, very anti-US, dictator, bureaucratic, the list goes on). She hopes to do a two-day interview with him in a casual setting to learn about his policies regarding women in his cabinet, having a family and the treatment of women as well as his presidency. She got the interview because one of her friends wrote a book about Evo and passed along some contact information. Can you imagine?!

Before she heads out to Bolivia, she has to finish her 85 page thesis on women in newsrooms and the types of programs they implement, focusing on Peru, Bolivia, Argentina and the United States. So between August and September, she will be writing this 85-page thesis, planning the program for spring 2012, interviewing Evo Morales, preparing to teach these young girls, preparing to observe the Bolivian farmers, flying to Missouri early-September to promote the Buenos Aires program, flying back to Bolivia, getting a visit from her French boyfriend as he flies in from Canada and living life. And I thought I was busy.

Not only is she a great role model, but Carolina also provides hope that anything is possible. You CAN be 34 and do all of this. You CAN learn six languages. You CAN research and read up on a topic to write your thesis in less than three weeks. You CAN keep track of all 10 of your students and their daily whereabouts in Buenos Aires. You just have to be patient, prepared and determined to carry these types of things out.

I am (was?) pretty nervous about how in my next three weeks, going home and running errands and seeing all of my friends for ~4 days, driving back to Mizzou this Friday, work week and recruitment, preparing for the GRE in THREE WEEKS, having meetings with all of my Maneater clients, working on Homecoming merchandise, doing all the vice president chapter-programming for my sorority, planning OCF meetings, planning Relay For Life and remaining a social and happy human being. But spending our last afternoon with Carolina and hearing about her accomplishments and future plans has given me a positive attitude and hope that all of this will just be a breeze. Thank you to Carolina for being such a great role model!

La Ultima Semana

Visual documentation of our last week in Buenos Aires!

Jordin, Sam and I at Palacio Barolo during the day

Me by Congreso

Celebrating Sebastian's birthday at Cigale

Recording quotes everywhere we go

Goodbye breakfast with our Spanish professor, Alejandro

My co-workers know me well, we took a group picture

on self-timer on my last day! This is the "funny shot."

Thursday night at Club 69, a Buenos Aires staple at Niceto Club

Starting our round of favorite last meals:

Bife de chorizo at La Payuca Parilla

Missing Argentine red meat!

Trying to open bottles of wine with the South American

corkscrew provided by our apartment:

always a struggle.

Off to the plane, I'll elaborate on these stories and a lot more later! Saludos Argentina, we'll be back!