Argentina Argentina Argentina !

Taken from THE NEW YORKER.



July 16, 2010
Close Look: The Argentines Are All Right
Posted by Amy Davidson



How many people live in jurisdictions in which gay marriage is legal? A quarter of a billion. Nate Silver has a pretty chart (via Daily Dish). Silver also notes that
Right now, it’s possible to marry your same-sex partner in Buenos Aires, in Mexico City, in Ames, Iowa, and in Pretoria, South Africa, but not in San Francisco.
And not in New York; we’ve got to get on this one. It’s embarrassing.
One wonders, in the near future, what we will think of when we think of typical married gay and lesbian couples, given that somewhat eclectic mix of countries and states. (That should not be taken to diminish the solid relations in places that haven’t made their laws right yet.) The Times reports that the same-sex wedding-planning industry is up and running, so perhaps we will soon have some market-researched insights, if not answers.


I know, I know, Argentina decalred same sex marriage to be legal last week and I am just now getting around to posting about it. But with so many close friends that this affects and fills their heart with joy... it also fills my heart with immense joy! Especially because it is in Argentina, a part of one of the most Roman-Catholic-Conservative parts of the world. Is Colombia next? Doubtful. Seeing as Santos is the new elected president and my own mother still can't even explain why she doesn't agree with same sex marriage. Although she loves the gays? Oh the beauty of not knowing why you believe in something (I too, am guilty of the latter at times).



Since I am on the note Argentina, my cousin's in-laws brought this to me from their home in Buenos Aires:

MATE! (mah-teh) My memories of mate include spending time in my childhood best friend, Victoria's home, waking up early and walking down to the kitchen for a glass of water, only to find her dad sipping on this interesting bowl of goodness. I thought it was a drug for the longest time. Turns out is is just "yerba buena." Read more about mate on wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mate_(beverage).

Disgusting.

"Leaving aside debates about lives lost and billions of dollars spent, the war in Iraq alone is producing 43.3 million metric tons of carbon dioxide per year, they estimate. Of Americans’ daily consumption of about 19.4 million barrels in 2008, the year on which the study focused, about 2.4 million barrels of oil a was imported from the Middle East." -Matthew L. Wald, NY Times.

That is shameful and makes me want to physically throw things. WHY ARE WE SO WASTEFUL. I mean of course we've heard "this war is pointless, what are we doing there, yatata." But hitting hard home for me is just how much money, precious resources, and time we waste everyday compared to other countries on EVERYTHING. Someone please explain to me the reason to have 3 fridges in one home. Or 10 of everything. Or 20 shirts, exact same design, simply a different color. Now don't get me wrong, I'm guilty of being a bit lazy and wasteful as well, mainly with food and items I hoarde at home. But I will never understand the concept of buying in excessive bulk or XXL sodas. We are so lucky to have hot water! In the village where my mom is from in Colombia, I have vivid memories of having to wake up and shower in ice cold, pinched nerve sort of water. My mom figured out it would be a good idea to take a giant pot of water and boil it so I would stop crying in the metallic holocaust shower. Also, we have air conditioning ! With this hot hot summer in the United States, the air conditioning for the entire country is currently emitting more energy then the whole continent of Africa. That is absolutely mind blowing to me. However, our population is obviously much larger, but still...... mind blowing. I'm not sure what is powering this rant of mine. Maybe because my power has been out since last night?

Stole this from old friend wakey wakey, Marina G.

"Hayuk's paintings, prints, drawings and photographs can range from tender mockeries of idealized social rituals such as hot tubbing or undressing, to transcendent portrayals of geometries giving way to nature. She was raised by Ukrainian immigrant parents in a Wonderbread suburb of Baltimore, converting to punk rock at an early age. After extensive travel throughout the US, Europe, U.S.S.R. and Northern Africa, Maya earned a BFA in Conceptual Art, New Genres and Philosophy studying in Boston, Toronto and Odessa, Ukraine."

I just really love this. All of the rad colors and wacky shapes make me feel like I'm in South America.. which is always a good feeling !

Kabuki Democracy - Eric Alterman

"We live, as Tony Judt has written, in an "age of forgetting," and nowhere is this truer than in our political discourse. Rarely do we stop to remind ourselves that, as a New York Times editorial put it, Obama "took office under an extraordinary burden of problems created by President George W. Bush's ineptness and blind ideology." The economy was tanking: for the decade between 2000 and 2009, real growth was at its lowest point since the 1930s, and the fact that two-thirds of all economic gains went to the top 1 percent of the population meant stagnation at best for most workers, actual decline for many. Clear environmental threats had been allowed to fester. The Bush Justice Department was engaged in what appears to be widespread criminal action in a host of areas. We were fighting two wars, hamstrung by the hatred of most of the world's citizens, and operating torture chambers (and lying about it) across the globe. What's more, based on the theory of the "unitary executive" Bush and Cheney were claiming near dictatorial powers to ignore both houses of Congress and even the courts when it suited their purposes. What was his successor to do? Should he bail out the banks? Nationalize them? Break them up? Allow Detroit to die? Invite the firing of tens, possibly hundreds of thousands of teachers, police, firefighters and emergency workers by state and local governments strapped by falling tax revenues? Allow the deficit to explode or the economy to implode? Should he close Guantánamo and Bagram prisons? End rendition? Get out of Iraq? Reverse signing-statements? Outlaw domestic spying? Cut carbon emissions? And by the way, exactly how would he accomplish these things—and simultaneously? By legislation? By executive fiat? By magic? Believe me, I could go on."

Read the above article ...http://www.thenation.com/article/37165/kabuki-democracy-why-progressive-presidency-impossible-now. Totally worth the nine pages!

Jenny sans teeth weekend.

My right bottom and top wisdom teeth were finally removed this past Friday after a struggle of finding insurance and battling between lying, needing to really get them out, money issues, etc. All for you, Peace Corps!!! (and I suppose for me in the end as well, psh)

I did a whole lot of ... nothing. Too much facebook stalking. Too much rolling my eyes at my mom while she was being precious and making me homemade soups and smoothies. And while she was also yelling at me about stains on my sweat pants and t-shirts. Over it.

Didn't read books like I said I would. Instead, compulsively browsed tumblr and added new tumblrs. Watched Uruguay vs. Germany, The Two Escobars, Alice in Wonderland, About six episodes of Roseanne, and Spain vs. Holland. Going to go ahead and say it. Soccer brings nations together like no other sport I have ever seen. And I will forever be confused at the passion for American football...maybe I should just learn the logistics? Or maybe I will just be biased and forever love futbol because of my family. And love how even in the most poor of countries, compost is used to make a goal and any measly ball works as a soccer ball. Cheesy moment.

Not going to work tomorrow. Whoops. Definitely not going to work since it is 2:41 AM....I'm still quite swollen. Stretched out funny looking skin. And why not continue my Bon Iver music marathon tomorrow morning?

Skinny Love

On repeat on repeat.

Sometimes, I am just so happy sitting on my bed listening to music alone and laughing via internet conversation with my best friend Jenna. That moment is right now.

I feel blissfully happy right now for no reason. Isn't that the best?

Macedonian Brain.

I have so much to do before I leave. It is extremely overwhelming. However, I am not going to let that get the best of me. Right? Right. This post is going to be random and scatter brained.

Well, I need to learn this thing:

Macedonian is ridiculous. There are random v's in words and i am going to sound crazy for awhile. Usually, in French, Italian, Portugese, and any other romance language, I can read the text and catch on to the meaning. Not in Macedonian....these words are like nothing I have ever heard before. Also, I can't help but always giggle when people ask me, "what language are you going to learn?" and i say, well.. Macedonian. Doesn't that sound fake?

Packing:

PACKING. Ahhhh. I am so terrified to begin this packing adventure. I need to pack up my life in boxes, find houses to store my random items in for 2 years, and weed out what I deem to be a neccesity for me to have while in Macedonia. The below items are recommendations from current Peace Corps volunteers.

A) An Osprey bag. These bags just look so cool and mountainous. Is it worth it to spend a week of Bravo money on this? I bet this bag has so many secret compartments. It is so tempting to splurge.

B) Measuring Cups- Good thing I am the owner of the gaggle of geese to the left. They are most definitely being wrapped in my clothes and coming along with me to Macedonia to measure out the ingredients for Baklava. And eclairs. and I still don't kow any other Macedonian delicacies.

C) Hiking boots- ALL HIKING BOOTS ARE SO UGLY. Including these. And these were the only ones I sort of liked. I am going to look like the realest dyke. Macedonia has a ton of mountain ranges, beautiful sights, etc. etc. I suppose it depends where I am placed after training if I will be hiking a lot or not. But I am sure the boots will come in handy at some point in my 27 months abroad. BUT THEY ARE SO UGLY.

I feel like I am going camping.

Also suggested was a can opener, potato peeler, dial soap because the soap there is really hard? Tampons, because only the cardboard kind exist... and only in big cities. A sleeping bag, pillow cases, deodarant, ziplock baggies....I have to bring clothes for every season. 100 lbs. of all my clothes for 27 months? This is going to be absolutely insane.

List of items I need to get rid of from my apartment:

1. Pointless clothes that I am never ever going to wear. In Columbus or in Macedonia.

2. My futon of love. Coffee Table. TV Table. Lamps. Big red chair. Computer desk. Computer chair.

3. What am I going to do with my bike? :( I want to bring my bebe.

I found a Macedonian bike site on facebook and got soooo stoked again about having a bike while I am there. I am not sure how my one speed bicicyle will manage in Macedonia though. Or how my set of deep-v wheels will look among the goats and babushkas.

I can't stop thinking about leaving. I just feel like there isn't much left to do in Columbus for me right now. Things have been sort of dragging. And extremely average. But then when I think about leaving I also think about how puffy and red my eyes are going to be while sitting on the plane waiting for it take off from Columbus. Ok enough about Macedonia ! For today at least.