Oh the Places You Will Go

I am truly beyond words right now as I type these words to announce that my plans for Buenos Aires have now been finalized. I have dreamed, hopes, waited, imagined and fantasized about this very moment, the moment that I get to officially confirm all my plans. I will leave here to go on a ferry tomorrow and I will stay one nite in Vancouver. On Friday morning I will take a plan from Vancouver that will stop by in the US for transit for a few hours. I will arrive in Buenos Aires Saturday morning around 9:25 in the morning.

Normally as a writer I would have some kind of elegant prose to write here. But I think for this edition, there is no person or thing that can best express all that is going on in my heart other than Dr Seuss's "Oh the Places You Will Go"

Oh! The Places You’ll Go!
by the incomparable Dr. Seuss
Congratulations!
Cover of Oh, the Places You'll Go! Today is your day.
You’re off to Great Places!
You’re off and away!
You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself any direction you choose.
You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the guy who’ll decide where to go.
You’ll look up and down streets. Look’em over with care. About some you will say, “I don’t choose to go there.” With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet, you’re too smart to go down a not-so-good street.
And you may not find any you’ll want to go down. In that case, of course, you’ll head straight out of town. It’s opener there in the wide open air.
Out there things can happen and frequently do to people as brainy and footsy as you.
And when things start to happen, don’t worry. Don’t stew. Just go right along. You’ll start happening too.
Oh! The Places You’ll Go!
You’ll be on your way up!
You’ll be seeing great sights!
You’ll join the high fliers who soar to high heights.
You won’t lag behind, because you’ll have the speed. You’ll pass the whole gang and you’ll soon take the lead. Wherever you fly, you’ll be best of the best. Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.
Except when you don’t.
Because, sometimes, you won’t.
I’m sorry to say so but, sadly, it’s true that Bang-ups and Hang-ups can happen to you.
You can get all hung up in a prickle-ly perch. And your gang will fly on. You’ll be left in a Lurch.
You’ll come down from the Lurch with an unpleasant bump. And the chances are, then, that you’ll be in a Slump.
And when you’re in a Slump, you’re not in for much fun. Un-slumping yourself is not easily done.
You will come to a place where the streets are not marked. Some windows are lighted. But mostly they’re darked. A place you could sprain both your elbow and chin! Do you dare to stay out? Do you dare to go in? How much can you lose? How much can you win?
And if you go in, should you turn left or right…or right-and-three-quarters? Or, maybe, not quite? Or go around back and sneak in from behind? Simple it’s not, I’m afraid you will find, for a mind-maker-upper to make up his mind.
You can get so confused that you’ll start in to race down long wiggled roads at a break-necking pace and grind on for miles across weirdish wild space, headed, I fear, toward a most useless place.
The Waiting Place…for people just waiting.
Waiting for a train to go or a bus to come, or a plane to go or the mail to come, or the rain to go or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow or waiting around for a Yes or No or waiting for their hair to grow. Everyone is just waiting.
Waiting for the fish to bite or waiting for wind to fly a kite or waiting around for Friday night or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake or a pot to boil, or a Better Break or a string of pearls, or a pair of pants or a wig with curls, or Another Chance. Everyone is just waiting.
No! That’s not for you!
Somehow you’ll escape all that waiting and staying. You’ll find the bright places where Boom Bands are playing. With banner flip-flapping, once more you’ll ride high! Ready for anything under the sky. Ready because you’re that kind of a guy!
Oh, the places you’ll go! There is fun to be done! There are points to be scored. There are games to be won. And the magical things you can do with that ball will make you the winning-est winner of all. Fame! You’ll be famous as famous can be, with the whole wide world watching you win on TV.
Except when they don’t. Because, sometimes, they won’t.
I’m afraid that some times you’ll play lonely games too. Games you can’t win ‘cause you’ll play against you.
All Alone!
Whether you like it or not, Alone will be something you’ll be quite a lot.
And when you’re alone, there’s a very good chance you’ll meet things that scare you right out of your pants. There are some, down the road between hither and yon, that can scare you so much you won’t want to go on.
But on you will go though the weather be foul. On you will go though your enemies prowl. On you will go though the Hakken-Kraks howl. Onward up many a frightening creek, though your arms may get sore and your sneakers may leak. On and on you will hike. And I know you’ll hike far and face up to your problems whatever they are.
You’ll get mixed up, of course, as you already know. You’ll get mixed up with many strange birds as you go. So be sure when you step. Step with care and great tact and remember that Life’s a Great Balancing Act. Just never forget to be dexterous and deft. And never mix up your right foot with your left.
And will you succeed?
Yes! You will, indeed!
(98 and ¾ percent guaranteed.)
Kid, you’ll move mountains!
So…be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray or Mordecai Ale Van Allen O’Shea, you’re off to Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting.
So…get on your way!

Spare Rooms BA

Avenida Florida

Do all of you remember from earlier blogposts how I kept saying that my church is located not only in the busiest city in Argentina (Buenos Aires) but on the busiest street in Buenos Aires? I found a video clip which features an accurate portrayal of exactly what Florida Street is like. The clip doesn't show Florida when it happens to be busy, it shows what Florida is basically like 24/7 with very little exception. And yes, as hard as it may be to believe, my church is located on Florida.

Whenever I mention to someone who does not go to my church that our church is on Florida, they look at me with a puzzled expression. It is like telling someone that you go to a church that is located in Times Square in downtown Manhattan, New York. This is the street that we were canvassing on and trying to survey people on what they know about AIDS in preparation for Rock & Vida. The moment the congregation leaves the church building we are located in, this is what we literally step out onto and into.

Spare Rooms BA

Unlocking Closed-Door Restaurants

One of most unique experiences you can have while in Buenos Aires is to dine at what's known as "puerta cerradas" (closed door restaurants). It is a restaurant that is actually located in someone's home. In a society where there isn't much space or privacy, it makes for a great way to spend time with someone and get to know them better. I am definitely putting this on my "MUST DO" list the very next time I am in the country and I know exactly who I would really like to take on this culinary adventure. Those of you who are die-hard fans of mine and read every word of every blog don't need to take a wild guess to who I have in mind to have this neat experience with. For the rest of you, keep reading and you'll catch up soon enough...

Closed-Door Restaurants

Watch more Buenos Aires videos at tripfilms.com

Mi casa.....su casa

I have never doubted for a single moment in my life that there is a higher being out there who knows me way better than I know myself and has a better understand than I ever will of what I will actually need.  As you all know, planning my return to Argentina has not been easy. I went through alot and as a result, my mind was "out of it" and it made it difficult to plan properly. Which is the reason that my plans kept changing every other minute.  I think trying to find the will of God is like an easter egg hunt, you look here and you look there and sometimes you keep trying but you end up in all the wrong places. But the Bible says seek and you will find and if you search with all your heart, one day you will get it right.

There were so many times on this journey that I thought I knew what God's will was. I thought I knew when he wanted me to go and where he wanted me to stay. But many times my plans would fall through or things wouldn't work out. I almost wanted to give up but I'm glad that I didn't. Because at last I did figure out where I was meant to stay and it happened in an almost unusual manner.  What happened was that I was thinking of renting an apartment starting Oct 1- Aug 1. But I was going to be in Argentina before then so I needed a place to stay until the beginning of Oct. I started looking at the different hostels on trip advisor.  On trip advisor there are reviews, ratings, and rankings of the different accomodations.  I was drawn to one particular place that was ranked #2 out of over 200 accomodations. I was curious to why this hostel was ranked #2.  But after checking the website and reading more than 30 reviews (ALL of them were good. There was not one negative review), then I understood that this was a very special unique style of accomodation.

The Elefante Rosa Hostel

Yes, it does mean "The Pink Elephant Hostel". It is located in a barrio called Boedo in Buenos Aires that  is off the well worn path. The hostel is run by two brothers and it is a bed and breakfast. I don't think there is anything like it in Buenos Aires. All the reviews says that being there is like staying in someone's home. And that the brothers are so helpful, they go out of their way for you as if you are member of the family.  The atmosphere in the house is one of laughter and conversation. And the house itself looks magnificent, tastefully decorated like an art house.  But what caught my eye is that they offer options for those who wish to do an extended stay.

This is exactly what I was looking for, a place that is close to the area that I work. I didn't necesarily need my own apartment, I like being around people and am very open to shared accomodation of some sort.  Sharing space is common in Buenos Aires and if you are willing to do it, you'll find that it very economical. And I like the fact that a nice breakfast that includes cornflakes and milk awaits me every single morning!

Being in an nurturing environment, there is no doubt in my mind that I've be refreshed and rejuvenated and as good as new in no time.  I will be staying in the hostel until October 9th when I will be moving to an apartment in the same neighbourhood. But no matter where I go or what I do, just know that you are always welcome in my home as an honored guests.

Mi casa....su casa.

p.s. Just for those of you who don't know, the picture that you see above is of one of many "float homes" that can be found here in Victoria, B.C.  Basically they are houses that are floating on top of the water and are attached to the wharf. I would love to spend a year in one of those just to see what it would be like....

Spare Rooms BA