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Argentina will be electing new senators this coming Sunday and the campaign season is in full force. There are marches in the center of town, one party (UCR) apparently pays young kids to stand in the middle of intersections during red lights and wave party banners, cars are constantly driving around blairing cuarteto along with party messages, and posters are everywhere (sometimes two or three glued on top of each other). Although I didn´t get a photo of it, there was one interesting poster from a center-left candidate Giacomina showing him pointing at the camera with both index fingers with a title above the photo of “Yo No Miento” (I don’t lie). I thought it was a bit over-the-top and apparently someone agreed with me as within two days of the poster appearing it was replaced with a different picture of Giacomina smiling (although it still had the Yo No Miento written above his face). Voting is mandatory in Argentina (although the Communists are urging their supporters to vote with a blank ballot as a means of showing a “no” vote against everybody) and the majority of students are going home this weekend to vote (including La Riojana como siempre).As for Jeremy, he is an alumni of mine in my IICANA English classes and will be traveling to the US in January to study English for 3 months in a university near Seatle. We have recently begun hanging out: I went to his sister’s birthday last Friday, I went to his friend’s house to watch the Argentina/Uruguay match last week, we played squash (like raquetball) yesterday, and he came with me to play futbol with the interchange kids last night. He is a very cool guy - I am extremely happy with my situation in IICANA teaching english as I have had the chance to make friends (Jeremy, for instance) and meet certain ladies.As for the English class, I brought in a little “extra” material (I am the professor, right?). La Riojana and I had an argument about money and its purpose in life last Saturday as I explained to her the upcoming Halloween party in my house that I am organizing. After this discussion (in Spanish I wanted to have her (and everyone else in the class) read a bit of Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged - specifically Francisco’s Money Speech (you can read a copy of the speech by clicking on the READ MORE button listed below this entry). I provided everyone with a copy in English and Spanish and we discussed the role of money in society for the 1st hour of class. Needless to say, the discussion was interesting and, for once, I had the advantage because I had the chance to explain myself in English rather than in Spanish (unfair, I know). It was entertaining but not as in-depth as I would have liked.A quick update as to what is going on with me: I continue to meet with different people to do the English/Spanish exchange. I lost my keys on Wednesday and, as a result, I had to dis-assemble the motorcycle and take the ignition lock and seat lock to a locksmith to have them re-keyed (as I write this, I am without transportation and I miss my motorcycle more than ever). Carlos celebrated his 40th birthday on Monday night with everyone in the house and this weekend we are going to his lake house to play soccer, swim, and have a barbeque (all 120 of the interchange kids are invited…).In response to my sister Lauren’s recent comment:

I am looking at a couple of language schools in SA, namely in Mendoza, Ecuador, and Cuzco, Peru. Santiago, Chile is also an option, but I think I remember you telling me it was super expensive to travel/live there. What are your thoughts? I definitely am planning on doing a homestay, and being there for about 8 weeks, or maybe 6 and traveling some….not sure. Give some advice, will ya?

Lauren - I don’t know much about Chile (other than it IS significantly more expensive than Argentina) however if you are planning on doing a language school during June or July you have to consider that it is winter in Santiago and it is going to be cold as the city is fairly close to the Andes. If you do not want to speak much English, I would probably stay away from Cuzco as it is commonly known as the “Gringo Capital of South America”. There are many other sites outside of Cuzco that are in Peru that might be better suited for you in terms of getting as far away from English/American-influence as possible. I have never been to Peru, however, so I can’t offer much advice other than what other people who have been there have told me and what I have read. As for Ecuador, I have heard it is a beautiful country somewhat like Costa Rica based on its geography (i.e. in 3 or 4 hours you can go from the beach to the rain forest and the mountains). I have an Ecuadorian friend and his Spanish is pretty easy to understand. I can recommend two schools; the one I attended in Costa Rica called Montaña Linda which can be found here and another school here in Cba that is very good called SET Idiomas which can be found here. Both offer intensive Spanish courses and family home-stays. Good luck and I will see you at Thanksgiving!

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