Zoo and other things.

So funny thing: A few nights back, I headed to dinner with two friends. We hopped in a taxi, and about 1/2 way there the taxi driver had to stop and get gas. I was sitting in the back, expecting to relax a bit until Javier and Mari gave me a funny look and told me to get out. Apparently, you have to be OUTSIDE of the car when gas is being pumped. There are signs everywhere, disclosing the rules of taxi drivers and their human cargo. How odd to stand outside of the taxi while it's being filled up. The reason being: They don't use the same gasoline that we do in the states, it's not liquid! It's a compressed natural gas that sounds just like air. Apparently it's a little dangerous, and has the tendency to blow up if you're not careful. So, they have employees that pump your gas for you. You are never allowed to pump your own.  When you hook the nozzle into the tank, and take it out, it makes the same sound as when you are filling your tire with air. It was the strangest thing!

  But other than that.. things have been good. I got a haircut yesterday, and I hate it. It's choppy and I look like a child. Ahh well, it's only hair right? What do you expect for 25 pesos?

 I also went to the Cordoba Zoo yesterday with Mari. It cost 40 pesos for us both to enter, and it was like entering a ghost town. There was hardly anyone there, and barely any animals. It was fun taking pictures, but it wasn't as impressive as the Tacoma Zoo! How lame! :)

  I've always been learning a lot about cooking. Since eating out is hardly affordable, we cook every single day. It's pretty comical to have 11 people in the kitchen trying to share one oven and 4 burners. We learn each others time schedules I guess and work around each other. I've made chicken pot pie (twice) and it's been amazing every time, I've made fried rice, banana/vanilla pudding/vanilla cookie dessert, chicken dishes, steak dishes... it's been amazing. I love cooking every day for lunch... it's refreshing to use fresh vegetables every time and fresh meats from the butcher shops. It beats my usual 'quick and easy' lunch of a sandwich or cereal.
     Today I was invited by a large group from the church, 'Centro Crecer' for an English Talk. They want to get as many Argentines together with native English speakers to enhance their Spanish. Let's face it.. us English speakers are here to learn Spanish.. but who do the Argentines have to speak to in English on a day to day basis?

    There were about 20 people in total, 5 being natives from the U.S. We ate on the top level of a nice restaurant and ordered pizza and of course... a few liters of CocaCola. We played games, introduced ourselves and talked about family. It was pretty awesome to have a large table speaking English amongst the Spanish world of Argentina.

 

I got to touch the baby hippo. It was so cute.. but their skin is hard as a rock! 

                                       Mari by the flamingos. I've never see them before until yesterday.

This is right down the street from our house. Men will set up bags of oranges and sell them to passing traffic. I don't know how stealthy their business is...