Hola, Buenos Aires

Today was the announcement of the winner of the $3000 travel scholarship. I guessed before we even had our interviews that Jamie would win, and I was right. So I will not be going to Japan this fall. However, before announcng the winner, last years winner gave a presentation on what he did. The four of us were all sitting togather, and each one us had really selfish proposals benefiting only our education. This guy went to South Africa to design and build shelters. For childeren and people suffering of HIV/AIDS. Had a really interesting presentation with lots of good pictures, some of which were difficult to look at due to the graphic nature of the reality of daily life down there. Anyway, Jamie won - she's going to use the money to take excoursions from Barcelona during her internship there with Enric Miralles studio. No hard feelings, I was actualy not sure what I'd do if I won as it comes right between internship and Buenos Aires. She's coming to BA, too, literally right after her intership in Barcelona. I don't envy her schedule. We're going to be roomates in Buenos Aires along with our friend Aldo (actually pretty much everyone is friends or aquaintances in this program). Jamie was in my stuido last semester, and Aldo sits across from me in studio now. Aldo grew up in Mexico city, and Jamie is minoring in it, so I've good language resources living with me.

Tonight after the presentation, we looked at apartments online. Our program coordinator talked to a leasing agency there and got us some great deals on apartments near the school. We looked them over and pickd this one as our top choice. On the sheet he gave us, he listed the price as $940 a month, considering how long we'll be there. It's only 2 bedroom, but its 1125 sq ft, and an amazing balcony and location. The price also includes weekly maid service, all our utilities, furnature, etc. Here's the listing.

Tonight I sent an email asking our contact there to hold the place for us if it is truly $940 a month. If not, there's a slightly smaller apartment for about the same price as our second choice. Anyway, I'm gettng really excited about this whole thing. The part of town this is near the historic center, the really trendy old town with the cutting edge clubs and stores, and this area is noted for its internaitonal cuisine, apparently the food center of the city, with the most parks. Oh man. Just got to get everything in order here.