DESTELLOS opens this week!

Just got back from taking a spanish certification test in Cordoba, and now it is FULL SPEED until the cabaret I'm directing goes up on Thursday. I feel very rushed, overwhelmed, anxious, but also strange. After this show, I only two weeks left in Tucuman, and only about 6 left in Argentina. In just this show I've seen so many changes in myself. I've found a lot of confidence to be ambitious and forward-jumping. Not only am I organizing and singing in this f'r, I also designed this flyer on my computer, contacted all the press folk, am creating the powerpoint and buying the props, paying out of pocket, and it all feels worth it as I see the show coming together in rehearsal. Now, how will these changes face the context I've spent 22 years growing up with? How will it face competition? debt? I want to make a promise to myself here that I can bring my Argentine "possibility-sight" to the states. Yes, i promise. Here. Now it's on the Internet, meaning that it's practically written in blood.
Cordoba was lonely, and of course, incredible too. I saw two plays almost every night, went to every museum I could until i passed out, talked to strangers about Cordoba's iron-gated elite art society and struggle with this year's drought, ate delicious sweet empanadas cordobeses at bar counters with cold grapefruit soda and a new bag (artesanal!! it has a picture of a detective and his ghost on it!) full of maps, and even spent a day on a tour to the dreamy mountain town of La Cumbrecita with three retired couples. (I was adopted under the nickname "Ohio" and made fun of the entire ride for being the only one continually fighting siesta fatigue) There were times were I felt tired, of traveling and being alone and spending without feeling like I'd earned and worked, but I also saw one of the best pieces of theater I've ever seen in my life and gained further practice in listening real real real close to what I want (lessons I can never be thankful enough for having), so I say it's worth it. Last week of real classes (now off to exams), but really my head is stuck in Destellos (flashes in spanish). I can't believe how fast this will all be over, and how little time I give myself to think of it. Wow, living without persistant analysis and regret...I can't believe how much i've changed! WOOPEEE!!!

LA VERGUEZA AND SHAMEEEEEEE!!!

I honestly don't know what happened. It's like a really amazing friendship that you look back on at some random moment and think, "WhOA FUCKAAAA, what the hell happened to that?? What have I been doing for the past two months??" Ashamed to admit how many times I've let that happen in my life, but proud to say that I REFUSE to let my friendship with this blog fade out just yet. I'M BACK!!!! And with a lot of news.

The first is represented in these pictuhs. One thing that's been keeping me bizzay these past few months is the creation of a workshop that incorporates theater games into English language teaching in primary schools. I had the idea when I got here, but in August it all finally came together with the Ministry of Education. (beaurocracyyyyyyy) The workshop gives a little bit of background about drama education and then suggests 12 games, all of which I made up robbing acting techniques I've learned in other classes and adding a language learning objective. The games are broken up into warm-up, acting and cool-down, and should not only review vocabulary and sentence structure, but also KICK-ASS for shaking up the classroom dynamic.

This workshop has been DA SO BOMBAWESOME, and it's really continued guiding me in the direction of theater education. I've given the workshop now in two southern cities of my province, and here in the center. I also combined it with some playwriting techniques for a two-day workshop at the university. (Oh yes, you TOTALLY HAD TO PAY TO GET IN. I'm not giving out for free no mo') The ministry is also very happy (what matters most...of...course..), and tell me that teachers report incredible changes in their classrooms. (I know, it's like a Disney channel original movie-SO AWESOME), and I'm now being asked for another workshop in November. SOOOO AWESOME!!!

More on the other million projects I'm working on later, but for now I want to continue with some of July's last picture book. Here I am with Sheeva, and our lovely travel companions Andi and Andrew (loverssssss) at the salinas grandes in saltaaaaa. Perfect spot for a facebook photo, friends. AnDA! (translation: get yo' ass onto this continent and into the big field of salt remains!)
Also, I've included the hallmark photo from tren de las nubes, which was ALMOST worth the enclosed space/14 hours/view not as cool as it looked on that national geographic DVD...almost.

Aight, now I'm going to get some sleep because tomorrow I continue with an impromptu playwriting workshop I'm struggling through at the Arts University (fake smile: "IT'S GOING GREAT!) News on that soon. LOVE!

A little something, something

I am down on my knees, begging in full "11 o'clock number" voice for forgiveness for taking so long to update, but I've basically had the work week from my Fulbright proposal's dreams. Creating and presenting a workshop. Setting up plans to present a play in English. Successfully teaching a full week class practically ON MY OWN! I am on an adrenaline high... My body's not quite catching up. And moments of quiet still open ugly doors. But my work to live in the moment continues, and I'm more than motivated with potential projects.

And it's been incredibly sunny. And Project Runway is back. And I had a really intense dream last night about my dad set in a forest-retreat/secret drug warehouse. Now the ideas are just coming out randomly. Let me reconstruct and get back to you.

Want to feel all emotionally see-sawy like me? Try not to get tear-filled shivers while watching thisssss:

If I may: a moment with my brain

Although I've been handed at least a thousand gifts this week, my mind still can't help but wander into a lost place sometimes. Living in another country is hard, especially at a time when my heart is feeling so ready to push some roots into the ground and start a more permanent stem of growth. Not sure if this is the right thing to do, but I find a bit of comfort in frequent visits to You Tube. Here's one of my current favorites:

JULY PICTURE BOOK 6: TUCUMAN THROUGH THE EYES OF OTHERS

Sheeva and I were by no means alone in Tucuman. You may have heard something recently about the Fulbrighter invasion of 2009? My house. July. Don't worry, we survived.

It started the night before Independence Day: July 9th in these parts. The congress that resulted in the declaration of Argentine independence from Spain was held here in Tucuman, and at midnight the event is celebrated here with a march of gauchos on horses, the totally random



manifestation of a crowd-plowing marching band, and FIIIIIIIREWORKS!








The next day, with everything closed and everyone (or at least everyone I've met here) completely indifferent to the fact that the president was giving a speech in the nearby plaza, we celebrated with a Fulbright night of wild peanut-butter binging and giggles. Three Fulbrighters were traveling with siblings (koinkeedink!!), so we took oodles of adorable fotos together, and generally threw around kindness and happy smiles. We had so much fun that we all returned two days later to do it all again over the best pizza on earth. Oh, you didn't know? The best pizza on earth is officially manufactured here in my kitchen by my roommate Gustavo. Something I'd like to bring home from this night: The idea of cooking several small servings of food with large groups of people that are meant to be served one taste at a time over hours. Imagine a group of about 15 starving wine-guzzlers being served one slice of pizza per 15 minutes over the course of two hours, each slice with different flavor and delivered (and eaten) by hand. Thank you to everyone who shared this night.


Before heading out, our crew headed up the nearby mountain of San Javier, a brilliant experience slightly tinted early on by our decision to follow a steep trail that lead up directly up Up and UP for about four hours. The workout was fantastic, but the uncertainty of whether or not we were ever going to arrive, well, anywhere, left the group slightly insecure. Kat, our resident hiking expert, calmed us by recognizing that while we may not have had much water left, at least we have a flashlight and warcm clothes. The speech had a mixed effect. Ultimately, we chose to trek following nature's subtlest of signals: horse shit. Reasoning that horses could only follow a path that led, somewhat, to some type of flat surface, we used the trail of dookie to ultimately reach the top of the mountain. Look at Sheeva's face. Clearly worth it, right?

JULY PICTURE BOOK 4: TUCU-FUN BEGINNINGS!

After a luxurious suite-bus ride (complete with champagne and bottom-of-the-barrel movies), we arrived in my host city, TuCUMANNN! After a delightful peanut butter and jelly picnic on my bedroom floor, I immediately put Sheeva to work helping me dictate a conversation class. She was rewarded for her hard work with a ride on a moto.

JULY PICTURE BOOK 4: SHEEVA AND BUENOS FRIGGIN AIRES!

After an 18 hour smelly-bus ride, and what felt like 3000 years of waiting like a paparazzi outside an international airport terminal, I MET UP WITH MY DAZZLING SISTER SHEEVA!

We spent about 10 minutes standing zombie-like in a hostel, and then we were already out and on the town. Here we are in front of the Casa Rosada, home of the infamous Evita balcony (and consequently famous Madonna balcony). In front of the Casa is a plaza where still today mothers of the thousands that disappeared during the dicatatorship of the 1970s march to demand answers. During this "Dirty War" period, the military took over the government and hundreds of thousands disappeared under suspicion of supporting communism.

After taking in a little history, we ducked into this "fine" cafe for Sheeva's first cafe con leche y medialunas, and for a touch at a little local culture. 50 points to anyone who can figure out why we took this picture and, therefore, why I look so creeped out!Hint: notice anything eerie about the background? group of ladies? dressed up? and alone? at tables by themselves? with waters?
We ran into random Fulbrighters with THEIR siblings!! Shout out to Christine! And we got caught in a creepy hail storm in La Boca (BA's colorful-isimo/dangerous when not on one of three designated touristy blocks), during which we found solace in a small tango club where our new best friend/tango dancuh! hooked us up with plans for Sheeva's first tango milonga. We were making friends everywhere we went!

It's 3AM

And I'm still awake because I decided to get all nostalgic and return to my college days of youtube binging! Today's obsession: So. You. Think. You. Can. Dance. LOVE IT!

Love it so much, in fact, that Sheeva and I decided to reenact some moves at the Salinas Grandes, a dried up lake, (FLIPPIN' CRAZY, RIGHT!!) outside of Jujuy, Argentina two weeks ago. Here we are!


Back to the July picture book in the morning, but for now I must report that I'm feeling very water color-y. It's definitely been a transition week, and the darks of this week's lingering chest cold (mixed with a splash of life-doubt) are now blending through the gray-blahs and into the brights. I must thank a weekend of theater (a Christmas-themed Cinderella and clown-set social commentary!), tango, "The L Word" in spanish, my Fulbright crew, dirty Skype with my grl Jaya and Sheeva Mostoufi for helping switch sides of the palate, especially because this bout of dark really had me falling deep. How to explain? Well, have you ever reached the point when you realize it's time to start sinking in roots? When you want people consistently feeding you good energy in life to physically be around you, consistently, and the people just passing through to go ahead and move on? I was there. I am there. And it's quite the lesson :)

In other news, word-of-the-day just taught me a new word to describe the last scrap of food after a meal: "ort"

JULY PICTURE BOOK 3: The party just don't stop...holla

After my first full night sleep in weeks, I woke up on my birthday ass late, then met up with my theater history class to take in the local circus!

Turns out Argentine theater sunk in its roots through circus in the 19th century. Today, Argentina's circuses are still mostly family-run. Our guide was a trapeze-soarin' acrobat, who currently performs alongside her father, daughter, husband, both in-laws and pups.

I also treated myself to a delicious factura. How to describe the deliciousness of this sugar and cream-coated croissant-cousin? Let's just say I went to FOUR places to get one. Note: When in search of impossible-to-find-desserts on birthday, bring hot sexy-awesome friend with you to flirt waiter into buying them for you from a panaderia. Thanks Nicole!!




To close out the dreamy night, my pal Sheeva (yes, there is another Iranian Sheeva in the United States, and she just happens to now live in Tucuman, Argentina) and I whipped up some yummy Iranian treats for an intimate wine and dine. My current heart-holder Nicole (who made me a fucking CHEESECAKE!), primary school teacher-bestie Veronica, and the ever-special, sass-tastic Juancito were my honored guests. I've always marveled from a distance at long dinners, hoping that one day I could finally focus my attention on a moment long enough to stop fidgeting after my last bite and enjoy how beautifully food, good wine and brilliant people blend. How perfect that I finally learned to sit still until dessert ON MY BIRTHDAY. This four and a half hour dinner may have prevented me from blowing my bday on drunk-hazy club fun, but I think it was perfect.

JULY PICTURE BOOK 2: MI CUMPLE!

After returning from my theater workshop, I was chained to my institute to grade multiple choice and short answer questions for a million years. But after, I fled to celebrate my birthday!!

First my amazing apartment-mate/first-rate chef Gustavo made me his infamously amazing pizza the night I turned 23!!

He and his gf Daniela were also celebrating their one-month anniversary. If we could all end up in a love this cool, I think the worldwide infinite smile could be possible. Love these guys.

JULY PICTURE BOOK 1: THEATRRR!

Seeing as I seem to have lost all words for the past month, I will now use photos to help revive some of these memories.

July started at this cultural center in Simoca, a town an hour outside of Tucuman. (where I live, for those of you just joining us) The dude with the sexy beard and glasses is me, and next to me is my killer-awesome roommie Gustavo. Gustavo works with a psychologist in Simoca helping high school students focus their life goals and career aspirations. I wanted to help! So, I taught these cool kitties to make stage pictures, project their voices in a crowded room, and become comforable looking like a fool. I think they had fun, although it was a little hard getting folks to open up while several were handling their babies, others were coming in late or leaving early, and I stumbled through the entire thing in Spanish. Can't wait to go back!

What a way to top it all off!

I KNOW!!! It has been a million years since I last posted. But I can explain. I have been passing the last three weeks traveling with the super-fantasticawesomalicious SHEEEEVA! Too much to update right now, but I thought Id go ahead and top it all off by spitting out how a wonderful vacation ended in the equivalent of a weezing fart. I am currently at a top-rated hostel in Buenos Aires, sitting at a public computer at 621 in the morning while someone behind me watches Will Smith-bomb SEVEN POUNDS because two douches in the top bunk next to me decided to have loud, creeky, weezily cliche 6am FUCKING SEX IN A FUCKING HOSTEL WITH SIX BEDS FUCKING IN FUCKING IT!!!!!!!! I tried to be polite, but bitches werent even trying to let me sleep, so I just left, mid-weeze. hehe. I really hope they are not stealing my stuff right now...probably should have thought of that. Details about the trip to come soon! Off to Rosario tomorrow for a few days, and then finally home. I think. nah, ill head home. the thought of one more bitingly cold hostel night of awkwardness sounds less appealing than biting into an empanada stuffed with dog shit. gross image, i know. but im SO TIRED!

A funk haze, denial, illness and the sweet "putita"

I spent almost the entire weekend with the same person, and it's freaking me out. I want to be a little stronger, I want to maintain my tendency to prefer independence. I don't want to ever utter the tonteria "why should I text first?" Is this what "Like, like" is? Now I understand why people both adore and abhor this electric bullshit. A cool bar, followed by a pizza/smoke/gaucamole/vodka supported game nite, followed by a "lost" viewing, followed by a cool curb-side post-yoga rendevouz defined my weekend with my new lesson. And I'm feeling good, and also a little out of control.

I also spent this weekend watching the fantastic final performances of the acting classes I've been following, earning a certificate and high school English-education book from a conference about using movies in ESL, watching the wonderful, haunting "La Mujer Sin Cabeza", cooking delicious asado meatiness with my roomie and correcting what felt like a ball-pit of midterms. And I'm still a little tired....but SUPER-EMOCIANADO to see my sister this weekend!!!

Illness refers to the fact that I've been SO TIRED it's worrying me. It also refers to the fact that my institute is closing a week early due to fear of swine flu.

Putita refers to the overwhelming haze of weirdness I've felt a few times this week, a weirdness colored by play ideas and yoga lectures. It's the title of a song by Babasonicos, an Argentinean band that's currently helping me from dipping too deep into "overwhelmed". So many ideas, so many projects, so little time and it all feels a little too dreamy. I'm feeling good, but I'm also missing Brazil. The tranquility. The seductive, smooth samba. The fruit. A warm breeze, and an indestructible smile. It was a beautiful week.

A sun, samba mystery fruit-filled week turned parcial grading muckiness

WHOOAAAAAAA!!! It's been practically a million years since I last wrote! SHEEEEIT! And I can't really even get into how heaven-like my trip to Brazil was, unfortunately, because I am currently grading (and feeling kind of uncomfortable about it) what feels like 100 gazILLION tests. Poop face!

Okay, maybe a little about Brazil. Essentially, I've fallen in love. From the first day I downed my inaugural caipirinha to my final samba-tastic hip bump, I had a smile stapled to my face. It was beautiful, friends, one of those paradise weeks that leaves a person secure that the down-turns in life eventually hit indescribable peaks. I know this sounds a little, digamos, too much. But one day when you visit me on the beach of my Brazil-stationed community theater/capoeira studio/independent movie theater/loft apartment, you will understand. Quickly, a list of reasons last week rocked:

1)Incredibly intelligent people determined to collaborate, celebrate and tan.

2)An seemingly undending plate of delicious pao de queso (a dream-realized creation of cheese and bread), and constant refills of fresh-squeezed guava juice

3)Brazilian pop and samba so smooth with tight melody and warm harmony that I couldn't stop dancing for five days

4) The beach. Pictures to come...

5)Quiet, peace, fantastic conversation, intense yoga and the ensuing body-tingles, singing along to "somewhere over the rainbow" on travel guitar, the unending service of delicious, grilled meats, dancing so jubilant it's like floating, being thrown into a game of capoeira, too many mystery fruits to name, and a constant sea of kind smiles.

6) PORTOGUESE IS SWEET! It sounds like a language cool, creative born-to-be genius kids made up to confuse their parents

7)The fantastic, theater-filled Buenos Aires trip that followed.

More details soon, but now I have to get back to grading and grading and grading and grading and grading and grading and grading. And I'm going to a folklore dance class tomorrow! Apologies for the short entry, but I promise to elaborate soon, and with photos! Hoping you're all well! Pray for all the brave Iranians demanding their due rights!

A quote to consider from my Fulbright pal Stephen: "Sugar is poison." HM.

I'M OFF TO BRAZIL FOR A WEEK!!

I will try to update, but it might be hard. SO, here's another photo for the meantime. This is me teaching a writing workshop!! WOOT!

I haven't forgetten you blog!!

This is much to tell, but because I will be leaving for the aiport in four hours, I will keep it brief for now. The past few weeks have been like a marathon. Intense, sweaty, exhausting, exhilarating, exciting, refreshing, and quick. The sun was out most of this week, and so was I, smiling most of the time.

Since we last spoke things got CRAZAY at work because my "Five Paragraph Essay" writing workshop was finally put into practice. aaaaaaand I think it worked!! Teachers always talk about the "click" moment, where there students finally internalize the point of a lecture. Shit is true, my friends. As my students and I suffered through analyzing the essay "The Hazards of Movie-going" (three. fucking. times.), I worried. There were WAY too many pauses, silences, and then bursts of me flying about the room like a hired birthday party entertainer. But at one point, the students lifted their eyebrows. They sighed. They sat forward. "AH, so you all the sentences relate to the SAME theme." YESSSSS!!!! This workshop has been beyond rewarding. And I even got to "Nine Lives" to frame our in-class essay brainstorming exercize. haha, I love making students watch Dakota Fanning and cry!!

In the primary school, I fell in love with the fourth grade. It was instantaneous love. One of them jumped on my back just as another passed me a note that said "Te Quiero, Michaela," and this all happened while I was slaving (birthday entertainer once again) to remind of them how to ask someone's age. (They learned this about a month ago)

This week the primary school teacher Veronica and I got even closer as she took me out to the abandoned roads by Mount San Javier for my first driving lesson. She was TOTALLY patient, and never freaked out when I stalled the car...several times. Have you ever met someone who is so wonderful, so beautiful, so kind, and so unjustly placed amidst the spectrum of life's problems. I learned that Veronica is dealing with a lot at home, and I can't think of how to solve all that she's dealing with. I hope that being an ally will be enough.

I went to a shit-ton of theater this week too. WOOT! One started in the backyward of a house, then moved to the outside balcony and finally concluded in the theater's performance space. I can't begin to explain what it was about clearly, but the craziness that ensued in those 2 hours left me feeling even more excited about Argentinean theater. It's so body-focused, fearless, strong and intimidating. I love it! The play was developed over the past three years by a theater group that is mostly made up of students. The director, one of the best actors I have probably ever seen in my life, blew my mind again the next night when he starred in another ensemble-written piece about three transvestite nurses. I want to be a part of this kind of art-making. Anyone with me? The last genius thing I saw didn't even take place at a theater. The audience (only 20 allowed) met at a theater, but were then driven to a house outside of the center. There, a play analyzing daily habits, momentary conflict and momentary banality, and the complexity of seemingly common personalities proceeded to confuse, mesmerize and excite me. And the acting was da bombbbb. (it's been too long since I've used this phrase)

So the theater and the work have been great, as was the week-long seminar I took this week about theater under the dictatorship of Uruguay (although i didn't love having a professor that claimed I couldn't understand the plays because I don't know the context...pretencious), but the most exciting thing about this week was probably the continuous pushes that fate kept sending to me towards a few new people in my life. Yes friends, this was the week that my life turned into an episode of Grey's Anatomy, and I really don't feel like I pushed any of it. It's weird. I would see a person I found interesting, and then that person just kept appearing, in random places. This happened TWICE this WEEK! Along my daily routine, I would encounter the same person over and over, I would have an amazing connection with them, and blah blah blah (I'll tell you later). Has this ever happened to you? I'm not sure exactly what to do with all of this excitement sent from the forces above, the forces around, and the forces between people. It's a little confusing, but I'm choosing to just be grateful to finally receive a little push. It's been a smily couple of weeks, let's just put it that way.

PICTURE PIT STOP!!

This is a picture of me with the infamous black glacier in Bariloche!!! The other is a picture of me with some of my students from the primary school. I was paranoid that the picture wasn't taking :) AND FINALLY, my acting buds and I pull out our tuff, rugged climbing faces at the nearby mountain. Mountains, woot woot!

Revelation of the day: I'm a winker!

I can't even begin to count the amount of times I winked today. After a joke. After something lame happened. When a bug flew past me. Am I becoming more friendly, more of tool? Who knows.

But I do know that I am PROUD of myself for finally making myself wake up before 11am today...when I didn't even have to be anywhere!!! In order to brutally put to death (like, with a stake, and chainsaw) my pattern of "vago" behavior, I forced myself out the door today at 9:45am. I wandered into the center and signed for a conference next week that will discuss theater has a form of resistance during Argentina's most recent dictatorship. (I KNOW!!! It's like the Fulbright fairies sent this workshop from South American research grant heaven) Of course they didn't have the definitive hours and locations for the workshop, which starts a week from yesterday, but they PROMISE to get back to me. I'll head back over there on Friday ;)

I then hit up the fotocopiadora, rushed home, blew my roommates' minds by showing them how well cucumbers and yogurt go together, and then spent the rest of the afternoon studying for Theater history class....which was pointless. We talked for all of one of the three hours, and then ended class early. AH! Still getting used to that.

After class, I headed to the fancy shmanzy downtown theater San Martin to watch students from my institute GRADUATE! I know, you are imagining something really boring. And at points, you'd be right. (They took THREE breaks, in 90 MINUTES!!!) But at OTHER points, the following lovelinesses happened: 1) The students entered while "We are the champions" played over the sound system. 2) Two singers entertained us with Spanish translations of Toni Braxton's "Unbreak My Heart", Frank Sinatra's "My Way", and the delightful closer "New York, New York."3)Students received their diplomas while various Enya tunes accompanied. 4) Once again, just after the Argentinean anthem, the event's them was f'ing "WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS!!!" I thought it was funny.

Post-graduation, I headed back to theater school to watch a rehearsal of my pal Alejandro's directing project. Innnnnnntense. The theater here is so strong, forceful, physical. It's confouding me a bit, which is a good thing.

Hope this was interesting....hm...mas o menos?

A red nose

I'm SO COLD in my apartment, and it's embarrassing. My google thermometer says it's 55 degrees, but i'm friggin' freezinnnnn! I think it's the lack of heat...anywhere. The tip of my nose has turned Revlon red.

Spent today at an asado with the family of my reference. Amidst small talk, continued bonding with my Canadian sistah and stupid jokes with my references 9-year-old nephew Juan (the only one who ever seems to get my jokes) I stuffed my face with every meat known to man: Chorizo, salchicha, carrrrrrne, and even Morcilla (vegetarians and lovers of animals, please do not look up this word). The event, celebrating the Natalie (canadian sistuh)'s birthday, was actually pretty suave, that is until all the adults had a little too much to drink and opened up the door to family drama. Let's just say there were tears, and a lot of embarrassed glances at the clueless foreigners. But don't worry, the event ended with our awesome, tango-dancing/table-pounding grandfather comfortably asleep in the living room.

After lunch, Adriana and I sat down to go over my writing workshop proposal, and it looks like everything is going to be sweeeeeet!

Spent the rest of the night at the house of my musician pal Fabian. The place, more of a garage converted into a sweet apartment/gear storage unit, was host to the keyboardist's birthday party. We celebrated with hamburgers!

I felt a nice balance of independence and being taken care of today. I also took a lot of pictures. Stay tuned tomorrow. I'm feeling in the mood to do some uploadin'!

A cinematic take

After a day spent lunching with my roommate, shadowing an acting class, coffee and smart-chatting with my new girl-fave Sheeva, stumbling through an improvisational play about three transvestite nurses, gnawing at delicious steak at 1AM with two of my students, and ultimately skating from "friend" to "WTF" with a buddy, I find that life in Tucuman is like a movie co-directed by the following auteurs: Christopher Columbus, Pedro Almodovar and David Lynch.

Please don't let me get stabbed by a drug-inhaling psychopath!! And PLEASE don't leave me dancing around the kitchen with my roommates, covered in flour and belting "Aint no mountain high enough."