hola

[liveweyerd]

i have been gone too long to catch up. so i will just start over with today.
i am in argentina..with a return ticket for early december but i intend to extend it.
i am not sure what i am doing, i think i am finding myself.
i do know that i don't wish to return to florida or indiana.
i have started a new life so many times a dozen cats would be jealous.
i used to hate it and cry and envy the people who had stable lives.
well, i have certainly learned to let go of "things".
i fit in a suitcase now. two suitcases. big ones
okay, i have some resentments about some of my things. MY CAR!!! the best one i have ever driven and i paid it off myself in 6 months. i am proud of that.
but i have my laptop, i couldn't stand to be THAT alienated, and i have myself. and i am where i am meant to be. my boat is afloat.
i have been upset for about three days now but i am not going to feed into it by rehearsing and reinforcing this particular grudge.
and, dear, dear, wedded, paulie, you know damned well that one of those suitcases was half full of books.
so i am just going to take up that diversion and maybe read all day. or two days. whatever. i am a full blown book addict. the only harm it does me is that maybe i don't bother to eat.
i am thinking about taking a course over the internet on travel writing. how is that for capitalizing on being homeless?
don't worry, it isn't literal. i have a room rented.
but i am like flotsam, floating around and never really finding where i fit.
it is a good thing that a big part of my nature is a loner. i guess if i wasn't i wouldn't allow this. i'd get married for security or something. and that would be the end of me. yuk.
hugs to all my friends here...and the ones i have yet to meet.
love,
tena

[Paulie]

(((Tena))) my dear dear friend.

It is so good to hear from you. I thought maybe we would not hear from you until you returned, if you do . I truly believe that this is an experience that you will treasure for the rest of your life. The resentments, they will go, you will let them go, cause that is the kind of woman you are.

The wedding was beautiful and perfect. After the ceremony my sponsor handed me her 9 year sobriety chip (that she got 6 months ago) WOW what a gift that was. I held it in my hand during most of my pictures that night, during most of the hugs from my family and friends who came to share with me. It was amazing!

You had a dream and you are following it, what will come next? I think right now it is okay not to know. Enjoy your time there, open that suitcase of books curl up and read. Take walks like you like, get to know the people around you, share yourself with them. You are a gift to be shared.

I love you my friend and wish you happiness from the inside out.

[Alongtimegone]

Good to see your post.

I have been without a computer for a few months now and have missed SR.

I would love to read your descriptions of Argentina. What's it like? What are the people like? The food? The climate? Homes? Etc.

Like many people, I will probably never make it there (Argentina) but would love to hear about it through you, if you would be so kind.

Thanks!

[zoomer]

Hola, como esta? Me habble no englas no espanyol either O.
I don't blame you one bit for not marrying for security. It kind of sucks in a way,but in a way it's secure. I envey your life and your fun! You set out for something new and you did it and are doing it!!!! memories for a life time! I was going to bed,but my girls where still up. I'm glad you wrote again! (((((huggys))))

[bubblze30]

Well welcome back Tena. I have been thinking of you and your journey. Oh to be able to be free and move about. Sometimes I am happy to be grounded others I just want to fly. I am sure you understand. So Argentina, How is it? Tell me all about your trip. How are the people there. Are you coming back for good or are you not sure. I amire your ability to adventure out into the world. I am so afraid of change. I don't even change my curtains.LOL However its no joke. Good to hear from you again. Well goto go but please do tell about your trip. With you class on travel writing you might even write your own novel. You have been many places and have lots to tell. I would surely read it. Memories last a life time. Fear takes our ability to make memories.

[CarrieSueBee]

Hi Livewired,
Your life sounds TOTALLY awesome to me. Artgentina, eh? Well popular travel/living-experience books have been writen on Tuscany Italy (Frances Mayes) and Provence France (Peter Mayle)...but not Argentina, so I think YOU should be the one to write it!

We absolutely should not judge anyone by the amount of STUFF they have, but rather by the (non-literal) baggage they carry!

I think lots of people would envy that spirited gypsy lifestyle. (No derrogatory reference was intended in case you anyone reading this who actually IS of the original Russian-Gypsy herritage.) I guess I should use "Nomadic" to describe your lifestyle? But I only see reference to aone move to Argentina, so I think that only makes you "spontaneous" (<--- one move) and "unencumbered" (<-----I'm going strictly on the number of suitcases) until you reveal other similar moves to exotic and wonderful lands. :-)

Enjoy it..........and tell us tales from Argentina!

[liveweyerd]

okay, friends, i will practice telling stories. i love it here, my only stumbling block is missing the people i love. i would be happy if they would just email me!

i live in a hotel. you can see it at www.hotelvictoriacord.com
i also recommend www.EscapeArtist.com and www.lonelyplanet.com
you can go for an adventure at those sites without leaving home...but be careful...the temptation could turn into something! Like a plan.

i did not realize i am as far south as the tip of africa! the other side of the equator is opposites. Spring begins september 21st! the toilet flush circles in the other direction!

when i was a kid my folks nicknamed me roadrunner because i wanted to go everywhere.

it is a lovely day today and a friend took me to discover an ancient Jesuit crypt begun in 1599! at sometime it was demolished and was not discovered until 1998....by some intel phone guys digging! it is partly restored and there are myths of tunnels, but no one knows. Argentina's economy crashed in 2002 and there was no money to investigate further.
it is that same crash that enables me to live here. a steak dinner runs between $3-4.
however, i don't know spanish. That makes dining an adventure! I don't know what I am ordering! the other night i got a 1/2" strip of filet mignon covered with a slice of ham, a slice of cheese and topped with a fried egg; that came with REAL french fries, a sliced tomato and lettuce ...NOT iceburg, good but unknown. the only dressings they use are oil and vinegar or lemon wedges. I ate every bite. YUMMY

the population is made up of descendants of European immigrants, a lot of italians. I dyed my hair dark brown (from dyed blonde) before I came here. I blend well until I open my mouth!
These people must be the friendliest in the world....within days, less than a week..people have taken me in like an adopted child...the social invitations would tire a debutante!
They take a late afternoon siesta and keep very late hours. Dinner at nine. Live musical at 10.
The other evening the phone rang at 10:30pm. I was sound asleep! Another resident of the hotel had noticed me pointing at his mashed potatoes (REAL) a couple of evenings earlier and asked the owner for an introduction. So, I pulled on clothes real quick and we went for WHAT!?...coffee. not american coffee. theirs comes in an itty bitty cup and must be the equivalent of two pots distilled. Little wonder I have been up past the wee hours.
The last week has been their independence celebration. One day I walked to the central plaza which is only a couple of blocks away and took photos of belly dancers. Don't ask me...I don't understand either.
Another morning I heard rifle shots (didn't scare me, I know I am in a very safe area).
I ignored it. but they came closer and closer and were joined by drums. Finally I went out on my balcony to see what was up and there was a marching band parade going down the street a block and an half away.
If anyone wants to come and visit me, a room is only $10 per night. I have a discount because I am here for 6 months minimum. $220/month. and that includes maid service.
My bed gets made everyday for the first time in years!

Conversations are comical. I take a notebook and spanish/english dictionary which we pass around, but it is alot of drawing pictures, exagerated gesturing and pantomine. Accompanied by perplexing looks as we try to figure out how to convey what we want to say.

Today I got a bad case of giggles over the lingerie in the storefront windows. Anybody want to dress as a french maid or a playboy bunny? Sorry, I didn't check the price.

A 30 minute taxi ride takes me to the foothills of the Andes. A glorious sight!

How did I choose Argentina? CARELESSLY! My sister threw out the idea and told me about the economy...our eyes met in a twinkle and that was it.

I did a wee bit of research and chose Cordoba because of it's cultural, art, music and religious origins. and, oh yeah, the oldest university in South America is here.

The people are 100% family oriented. They live modestly by material standards but I think they are very rich in the things that count.

And, not to tempt anyone...but there is no such thing as last call here....you can hangout until 8 in the morning...later if there are still customers.

Once you have been introduced to someone, the custom thereafter is to kiss them on the cheek. They open their arms to you and present their cheek. One day my natural orneriness popped out uncensored by thought. The man who had set things up for my computer for two days did the cheek thing, i kissed his cheek, stepped back, sniffed and went ummmmm. Caught him off guard! He blushed and explained it wasn't real. (Cologne). I pantomined his wife punching me. But it broke the ice and we traded for borrow computer parts. I needed his transformer (everything is 220) and he wanted my Office program.

So, I think when my sister mentioned Argentina my mind flashed to Evita and I was ready to go.

The hardest part of traveling is making the decision to buy the airline ticket. The rest is easy. Then, you just board and go.

Language isn't really that much of a barrier.
I had bought a 12 cd set with textbook to learn Spanish but my suitcase was too heavy (all those books)....so I moved some to my other suitcase and took the heaviest one out...which was, of course, the textbook, then forgot it on the plane.
That's me...continually losing things.

The only crime in my area is the snatch and run.....purse, jewelry etc. Never carry or SHOW much money. Keep small bills, put them in your pocket. That is it, easy enough.
I have been told twice now that my watch is too nice and to leave it in my Hotel. Okay, tomorrow (manana) I buy a cheap watch.

Now, I am going for dinner....early Americana, it is only 8.

Thanks for inviting me to share!!!!!!!

HUGS!

[Paulie]

Enjoy Tena!!! Sounds wonderful.

[2stop]

((((((((Tena)))))))))))

How awesome to be in Argentine! I was just online this weekend looking up Bolivia, my husband has a friend lives down there and thought I'd see how much a flight down there would be, became infatuated with the pics I saw online and started looking up neighboring countries. Got to Argentina...and said to myself..I have got to go there!!

Just try and enjoy every single moment and new experience down there. Read to your hearts content. Like you I am a bookaholic! Found some murals online today that looked like a library....trying to figure out a wall to put it on!!

Sounds like the poeple in Argentina are delightful!!!! I am sure you'll make some lifelong friends and wonderful memories to comfort you on the lonely days.

(((((((((((((((Huge Hugs))))))))))))))))

[zoomer]

Fun,Fun,Fun! Sounds so wonderful! Lucky you! I'v did a look see and it all looks so inviting! UMMMMMMMMMM! LOL, in my dreams though! Who knows LOL,perhaps one day I will not be so chicken! (((((Tena)))) thank you so much for a bit of your adventure! I'll have good dreams tonight! (((((pesttt I went to London tonight too!))))))))

[liveweyerd]

:lame: this does not count as my writing, okay...just off the cuff impressions but it does help preserve them as material
THANKS

2stop.... bolivia is in Columbia, right?
That country is NOT safe, extemely dangerous. Maybe the worst in South America.

The CIA puts out a world book on the internet that evaluates each country...also the USA embassy

we gypsies want to live to travel another day!

[indigo]

Live it is good to hear from you, what an exiting path you have chosen. Glad you are going to share it with us here. Have a splendid time.
Indigo

[liveweyerd]

how about everyone/anyone joins in...we can all take each other places.
Indigo, you are in Europe...France is it? I was in Nice but didn't get further than the beaches....which are tumbled stones instead of sand, for us Americanas who never imagined such a thing.

My all time favorite city is Amsterdam....and, no, not because of the gangha..I traveled thro' time there! Back centuries! That's another story.

In Nice we got some food surprises.....I ordered a seafood cocktail, thinking in my American box, that it would be shrimp. NOT! Same sort of glass, but neatly arranged around the rim were whole baby octupus. I ate them, like chewing on rubber bands, no real flavor. My husband and I were in the habit of ordering one known item and one new one. He would eat anything, so we swapped plates if I didn't like mine. But one evening I ordered what was translated as mixed fried fishes. OK. sounds innocous. It looked like someone had dipped a net into the bait bucket, dusted them with flour, and quick deep fried them....I am talking about a plate heaped full of minnows (whole).
We both tried, but neither one of us could stomach that one!

In Florida I lived smack dab in the middle of the state, two hours to either coast, North to south we are talking Tampa. I used it as a hub. My boyfriend and I would decide on how long we felt like driving and then draw a circle/radius. Look at our choices within the circle and pick a place. Since they were weekend trips we didn't venture too far. But we never got bored with it.
And there is nothing wrong with packing a cooler with sandwiches and drinks to help defray the expense. My car is cheap on gas and we were good at finding inexpensive places to stay. When I was flush, we would sometimes treat ourselves like royalty to a suite overlooking a beach. One weekend, I was content to stay in the room, rest and just watch over the beach. Finally he asked me if I was going to get tired of the sceensaver !?! (window view) Well, the answer to that was "NO!"
My favorite words are "room service"...bring me dinner and I will live in my robe all weekend!

[2stop]

Tena~Nope.....Bolivia isn't in Colombia, although I wish Colombia would calm down, want to go there also..Bolivia is bordered by Peru, Brazil, Chile, Argentine(due south) and Paraguay. One of the tours down there takes you on a 5 hr dugout canoe trip to deep within the Amazon, the largest salt flat in the world is there, and the towns just look delightful. Sucre is supposed to enjoy spring like climate year round...sounds awesome to me!

My husband really wants to take me to St Petersburg, Russia and also Moscow. he thinks I would love it there! My husband has travelled all over the place..I have yet to catch up! Looking forward to it one day though.

[indigo]

Salut Live,
Yes I live in france, near mountains, ocean and espagne.......i live diffferent culture.... family......Irish, English (we don't speak of...LOL) French, Algerian, Moroccan, Portugese.....and then some. My family are all diffferent colours and cultures and some are religious too.......so what!!! My family are some of them 'travellers too') I find people like you or they don't well that's okay too....I can go on but I am so interested in your adventure my friend.

INDIE(always going!!!)

Bon voyage mon amie. aNNIE WITH Love x

i have been to many different countries I could call them all HOME.

[liveweyerd]

2stop, now I want to go there too!!!!!!

[zoomer]

LOL, today I want to go anyplace than here. But sence I can't, I'll read about all the wonderful places you all have been. (((((((((((huggys))))))))))