Pics from South America + Panama

Doin It

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i'm sleepy.

Language Barrier

What he said (literal translation): Nice headlights.

What he meant: Nice eyes.

What I thought he meant: Nice tits (as in, I can see your nipples).

What I said (literal translation): Fuck off guy.

When he looked genuinely injured, I thought it was because of my impressively quick and effective Spanish cursing abilities. It wasn't until a few days later that another local explained that this young man had been complimenting me and not in fact insulting me.....Ooops.

I just saw the president of Argentina...

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And she seems pretty cool. I woke up early with plans to do some adventuring, and stumbled onto a huge march stretching innumerable city blocks to the steps of Congress where Christina was talking. I didn´t really expect the porteñnos to be out marching in full effect, but surprisingly they were.

Other observations about Buenos Aires thus far:

*The city is very pretty, clean, and at moments sleek. The architecture is gorgeous and mostly everything downtown is really well-maintained.

*I am getting harrassed by more guys here than anywhere else I´ve ever travelled (even Nicaragua!). I have started saying that I am German and don´t speak Spanish. I have yet to find a common street harrasser who speaks German, so this plan is working well.

*One of the Cooperative Associations around the corner from my hotel has a bookstore and cafe with which I am in love

*People talk real funny. Everything has lots of shhhhh´s. Por ejemplo, el bus shhhheyga a las 8. Or, cual es tu appeshhhhido? Maybe I am just defensive of Central American spanish, but I´m not a big fan.

*I got hustled by a taxi driver! I am still not entirely sure how he did it, but I ended up with less money than I should have. It was the first time EVER - either travelling or in the states - that I´ve been hustled out of money like that (not including Bank of America, of course). How embarrassed to get hustled in Argentina and not in Ciudad Sandino or Bed Stuy!!! Oh well... a couple days ago in New York this middle aged man dropped a twenty dollar bill. By the time I realized it was his, he was about a block and a half away. I could have caught him, but instead I called out "hey!" (faintly) and when he didn´t answer I put the money in my pocket. This twenty dollars was part of the money I exchanged for Argentinian pesos at the airport. So I´m fairly certain that I was hoodwinked by a lame porteño taxi driver because of the bad karma I created with that Andrew Jackson. Moral of the story kids, what goes around comes around!!!!!

Trip pictures!!

I´ve been a very bad blogger!

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Lots of thoughts and fewer photos to follow soon!

Gritty City

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Status report

Overall: San Salvador is hot, gritty, and full of action. Guatemala`s countryside was exceptionally beautiful but I guess I prefer the energy of El Salvador´s capital. Provided I stay off the streets after dark, that is.

Interviews: Going well. My spanish failed me today for some unknown reason, which was a real bummer. I fell asleep watching american TV, so maybe that´s why...? I couldn´t resist -- its was 30 Rock, my favorite show ever.

Weather: My eyebrows are curling out of control. There is nothing to be done to help them. Same goes for the hair. Even so, the sun on my face feels soooooo nice.

Highlight: Walking around downtown San Salvador today, someone was bumping (and I mean, really loud, bass rattling the street cart vendors) tbe song Doodoo Brown! Nothing like a little Luke to set the tone in a new city.

This is why I don't stay at hostels

(I'm seriously not exaggerating any of what follows)

2 white people from Kansas: How do you say your name again?

Me: TYLEA

2 white people from Kansas: Tailedah?

Me: No. TYLEA. TY-LEE-UH. TYLEA.

2 white people from Kansas: Ohh Tulekah.

Me: TIE as in your shoes. LEE as in the jeans. AH as in...ah.

2 white people from Kansas: Ohhh Tylea! Hm.....what is your ethnicity, Tulelah?

Me: Half black, half white. Nothing too interesting.

2 white people from Kansas: Really?!?! I would have thought one quarter black, probably even one eighth. I never would have guessed you were half!!!

2 white people from Kansas talk amongst themselves: Isn't Lauren one eighth black. No, no, she's half too but doesn't look black at all either. Well, at least she has a little darker tone. Yea but you really can't tell...

Me: Why, that is funny! White people can never tell I'm black, so I'm not surprised but for future reference---

2 white people from Kansas: Well would you look at the time! We've haven't eaten dinner yet. We're gonna take off. See you around!

And then they left.

Highlights, Lowlights & Other Lights

Highlights:

1. Standing behind six Indigenous women in line at the bank. They were all about chest-high, decked out in traditional dress, a couple without shoes. They didn't understand how to navigate the line--you know the ones that cris-cross back and forth and are marked off by fuzzy rope things? When they finally made it to the front, they all crowded around one teller window. Anyway, it took some time to sort out but I didn't mind t'all.

2. Right now, sitting in an internet cafe in a small town with lots of hills and some AMAZING women's weaving groups. Every other computer is occupied by at least two (some have four) little boys crowding around playing video games. Naturally, they are shoving and shouting to get the controller. There are 7 little boys (I counted) at the computer next to me playing pacman. I've been elbowed a few times. I feel at home.

3. My hotel room for $3.50 a night.

4. Riding in the boat across Lake Atitlan. Dad -- I sent you some good vibes, as promised, so you should be getting that wish soon (Will wish magical volcanic wishes for money).

5. An impromptu conversation with the president of a group turned into a full out neighborhood meeting when one woman shuffled out of the room to collect some of the other women in the association. Before I knew it there were more than a dozen of us sitting in a tiny cement room. Jesus and votive candles on a table to one side, some babies rolling around on the floor, me sitting in a tiny stool made for a tiny tiny child, and a weaving demonstration afoot. Do I even need to explain how amazing this was??

Lowlights:

1. I started off my day surrounded by white women working for US-based non-profits. Some do good work, some don't. Some are here for the right reasons, some aren't. But my patience for this particular crowd is slim... In typical pessimistic fashion, I saw my whole trip getting sucked into some gringo foundation's public relations nightmare. But I broke out (one of my personal strengths, I'd say), and took a boat across the river to meet with some actual Guatemalan women. This promptly turned into a highlight (see number 3-5 above).

2. Travelling alone is wierd. I enjoy the time alone to reflect and I've been meeting quite a few people who actually live here. But I feel bad when other travellers give me the "do you want to be friends?" look as we pass in the hotel or wherever. I smile back of course. But my smile says, "I'm sorry, what? I don't speak whatever language you do." I know there are some nice people to meet, but if I wouldn't be friends with the greasy dredded german guys with black socks and burkenstocks under any other circumstances -- why bother trying now because we're in Guatemala? Am I wrong...?

Other Lights:

If you've read this far, I guess you've probably gathered that I am not dead. But for those of you worried about the landslide, I should repeat again that I am not dead. Very much alive if you consider blogging really living, that is.

Guatemala is rad

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I've never been more happy to spend an entire day inside a van full of greasy french girls and their beaus who kept shouting parfait! and magnifique! when I was trying to sleep. I couldn't really blame them--every bend of the road revealed another amazing mountain pass practically begging for a photo. What they didn't realize is that they almost got a lapful of the vomit I was trying hard to supress by attempting sleep. You were right Nigel, those stupid bracelets don't help. But in the end, I made it to my destination and will thankfully get a good night's rest far away from the frenchies!