Okay, note to self: DO NOT go to Carrefour on Sundays between 5 and 8. I think I'll avoid Sundays all together. It's like Costco on the weekends. Every time I've gone (like almost every day) there is one person in front of me in line. But it still takes 10 minutes until it's my turn. The cashiers aren't as efficient as cashiers in the U.S. But tonight there were at least 3 or 4 people with pretty full carts in each line. Waiting 40 minutes in line at Disneyland, I'll do that because I get to go on a ride but I just needed to buy water, which I could find elsewhere… Did I mention they have nice televisions on at the checkout counters? Well they do, so people are probably entertained by that...

So, today was FABULOUS & another beautiful sunny day!!! I actually walked into the city all the way to the obelisco!!! It's like a monument (smaller version of the Washington Monument). Anyway, I also saw the Teatro Colón!!! Beautiful and old! Oh, and before I could get there, I spent at least 2 hours walking around Paseo Recoleta, Paseo de Artes, etc. All these vendors of all types of artesaní­a had their pretty stuff set up. Tons of stuff. SO fun to look at! I wish I could spend like $500 on everything! LeeAnn, there are too many rings to choose from. I haven't decided which ones to get for you yet. You would go crazy! Lots of unique stuff: little wooden mug things for mate (tea) with the metal straws, necklaces, bracelets, earrings, rings, purses, cool wooden puzzles of the countries (great for teaching geography & I wish I could get them all), hand made rustic frames, hand woven scarves & sweaters & shirts, all kinds of artwork, candied apples, roasted peanuts and almonds, popcorn, these cool fruit basket things made of wood but they're in the shape of an apple and they can go flat but then you can open it up somehow to make it able to hold fruit & I'll have to take a picture cause it's difficult to explain… I can't even remember all the stuff I saw. I just had to see everything. I assume they do this every Sunday & I hope… I did buy a few necklaces from this Argentine guy from Córdoba. He's traveled all around South America. I explained how I knew Spanish because my mom is from Colombia and I went to Costa Rica for 4 months to study Spanish and he said he loved Colombia! Maybe he just said that so I would buy his stuff… What was strange about all of the vendors is that they don't harass you when you stroll by their little booth/spot like you would expect, especially in Latin America. Even when you're looking at stuff, they don't say anything unless you ask them a question. It was nice!

I didn't get to go to a church (although I finally found it on the map late last night) so I took my Bible with me and read at the obelisco. Lots of people were just sitting there eating or reading or feeding the pigeons or just hanging out with their families or a significant other. This lady with epilepsy and only a few teeth approached me. She couldn't have been older than 50 though the missing teeth make her look older. Alicia is her name. She & her friend Nestor hang out there during the day I guess. I couldn't figure out if they were homeless or what. Anyway, she noticed I was reading my Bible and began to tell me her life story. She had an awful childhood & wasn't raised by her actual parents. One died and I forgot what she said about the other but she was raised by some lady who did not like her. She wasn't allowed to eat with the lady & her family. She was beaten. She was not given an education. She can't read well but she's trying to learn. I asked her if the local churches help her out and she said yes. She brought me her New Testament and I showed her where I was reading (Philippians 3). I asked her if she could read any of it but the print was too small so I offered to read to her. She said yes and even invited Nestor to join us. I read half of the chapter and skipped to the last verses, hoping they would bring her comfort (3:20-21), "But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself." She kept saying how life is a struggle and I reminded her that we will be in heaven much longer than on this earth. She agreed. She's not bitter at all for the tough stuff life has dealt her. Her attitude is truly admirable. I had to leave them since it was starting to get late (and I needed a baño) and I wanted to get back to my little barrio before dark. If I were a guy, I wouldn't have to be so careful but maybe God made me a girl so I could still be alive today.

Oh! I actually took pictures today of places outside of the apartment!!!

They have some GOOD spicy Dijon mustard here!!! I'll take a picture.

So, I make it a point daily to eat cheese, dulce de leche, empanadas and I usually have a glass of red wine each day as well. The thing is that the cheese here is so varied and so fantastic! ("fantastical" for you Dane fans) And you can get dulce de leche and Argentine empanadas in California but not for nearly as cheap. And you can get a small variety of Argentine wines in California but again, it's so inexpensive here! So, I haven't had anything chocolate in a week. No peanut butter either but I ate roasted peanuts today. I haven't really craved either item, which is not so surprising considering the alternatives I have (see first sentence of this paragraph). I will need ice cream soon. I've heard it's amazing here! Speaking of sweets, I used the Burger King baño (BK Lounge for you Dane Cook fans) today and they have some neat looking desserts!

Yay! Tomorrow is my first day of school!