Meet my peeps...

At work, we went on a two day leadership offsite that included one hour of discussion in English each day. The rest was in Spanish. I did have one of the facilitators describing things in English along the way. I didn't miss much.
We talked a lot about Myers Briggs style stuff and how a team needs to work together. There were exercises, role playing and debates. There was some disagreements but they were diffused later. Standard team building stuff but with a Latin influence.
For me, it was one more time to develop relationships with the managers and other leaders in the company. There was a dinner on the first night and the 14 of us were split into two tables of 7 and given a pile of supplies - one team got red & yellow materials. The other team, green and blue items.
It was a long evening but sufficed it to say what started out as the development of the red/yellow team and it's attributes and the development of the blue/green team and it's attributes.....ultimately resulted in the formation of one stronger team.

So, meet the REDBLUEYELLOWGREEN Team.

It is a pretty good group.

The same night that we were having this team building event another historic event was taking place. The Argentine Senate was debating the President Cristina-imposed grain export duty. This imposed 45% duty has resulted in months of strikes, roadblocks, food shortages and pot banging protests. After two tied votes, Julio Cobos, the Vice President of the country cast the deciding vote at 4:30 in the morning. He voted against the bill and it was defeated. The country went nuts!

Cobos will either become the next president or he will disappear.

Ciao,

B.

How do you 'cough' in spanish?

I went for my "Welltest" today. It is the physical exam for working here.

It was an interesting process.....
I was told to not eat before the tests or go to the bathroom (that is an interesting trick).
I took a taxi and arrived at the clinic at 9 am for the tests. After verifying who I was (with passport), I was directed to the First stop - the locker room to drop off my coat, jacket and briefcase. I noticed that there were guys who got to wear matching red & white t-shirts (it was the Suisse Clinique) and grey sweats. I guess I wasn't on that testing program.
Next stop: blood work. Here, I had some blood taken and was handed an empty specimen cup with the distinctive red lid (more on that later).
Next stop - the 'kitchen' for juice, coffee and medialunas (like croissants). I guess that was to get my system 'going'. This lovely old lady offered me the newspaper, a choice of juices, coffee (con leche or not) and she placed that red-lidded cup on the chair next to me.....like it had its own place at breakfast or something. It is also amazing how someone will just go on talking to you in a foreign language like you understand every word.
Next stop - Vision test. Conclusion: I can read with my glasses on. He did do a glaucoma eye pressure test but it wasn't with the 'puff'. He numbed my eyes with drops and then used some thing-a-ma-jig to touch my eyes. First time I have had that. Target range 10 to 24, I came in at an 11 and a 12. I think that is good.
Next: Hearing test. Now, this was funny - getting a hearing test in probably one of the loudest cities in the world. While doing the test, I could hear phones, car horns, buses and yes, (some of the) quiet tones in the headset. Less scientific, but just as accurate - Mimi says I am hard of hearing (I think I am just hard of 'listening' - a big difference). I carried my red-lidded specimen cup to that one too.
Next: Then there was the 'look in your mouth, ears and listen to your lungs while your breathe' followed by the 80 item questionnaire. It was all in Spanish. It was a 'Si' or 'No' test. Based on my answers, I could be a 48 year old smoking pregnant man with a family history of flat feet.
Next (and yes, in yet another room): Blood pressure, heart rate, height, weight, waist measurement (probably a BMI calculation in there somewhere).
Next: There was the ECG - I felt like the guy in the '40 Yr Old Virgin' movie when she tore those 8 'stickers' off my chest hair.
Next: Then there was the chest X-Ray complete with Kodak film (no digital work here)....no lead aprons either. By the way - I'm still carrying my little red-lidded cup with me at this point.

Finally, someone directs me back to the locker room to get my coat & briefcase and says something in Spanish (probably about my red-lidded cup).She said something about '2 hours', I said something about '5 hours' and I figured, what the hell - I filled it and gave it to her. It didn't have any stickers on it, so it might be tested as mine or as someone else's.

I am expecting a meeting with the company doctor to review the results next week. I think I am in good shape......for a 48 year old smoking pregnant guy with a family history of flat feet.

B.

Restaurant de Puertas Cerradas

Last night, I was introduced to a new dining experience here in BA. It is the concept of 'dining behind closed doors'.

It is eating a meal in a private residence, in this case, Casa Saltshaker (http://www.casasaltshaker.com) . We ate in the dining room of the chef's apartment. There were 9 of us at the table - I came with a couple we know. The rest were a mix of travellers and a couple of people who live here in BA. All spoke English.

It was a 5 course meal with a wine tasting as part of it. The chef chooses a theme. In the case, it was to celebrate the 100th birthday of Lupe Velez, a Mexican-born Hollywood & Broadway actress (she didn't make it past 36, but it gave the chef a reason to prepare a meal from that part of Mexico where she was born - San Luis Potosi). She was married to Tarzan (Johnny Weissmuller) at one point.


Anyways - back to the evening: The food was quite good, each course was described...and enjoyed. There was a different wine with each of the 5 courses.
We enjoyed Cecina de Res, Sopa Verde de Elote, Heuvos en Rabo de Mestiza and Pollo en Ajo-Comino and a Tarta de Frutas con Cajeta (cajeta is a Mexican version of dulce de leche). What was all that? You will either have to go to San Luis Potosi, Mexico to try it or you come here and we can make reservations again at Casa Saltshaker!

The conversation was very mixed - basically starting with 'where are you from?' The answers ranged from Ann Arbor, Michigan, Brooklyn, NY, California, Australia, England & yes, Calgary and 'why are you here in BA? Answered with : a two week vacation in S. America, a graphic designer working here, one guy developing a culinary tour through Argentina but all were looking for a unique dining experience.

The conversation did stray into politics - which is always interesting when mixed with alcohol! Especially listening to expats/visitors explain Argentine politics....which are really inexplicable!

All in - 5 courses, 5 wines, tip, great conversation, an experience worth sharing on the blog and worth returning again for - $150 pesos. Worth every centavo!

B.

Feliz Dia del Amigo!!

Happy Friend Day!
It is another beautiful winter's day here in BA. I have spent the morning rearranging furniture in the apartment and watching the British Open - go Greg Norman!!

Día del Amigo is a celebration of friendship, held annually on July 20th, mainly in Argentina & Uruguay.

You know how certain 'events' have been created by the greeting card companies? Well, the idea for Friend Day goes back to an Argentine teacher who lobbied to turn the anniversary of the first lunar landing into an international day of friendship. He argued that on this particular day, the whole world were friends of the three astronauts. I think that is pretty cool.

I haven't seen any of you in several months (some much longer) so it is a great excuse to say hi.

We have met new friends here and I have already received several calls today. In recent years, it has resulted in a breakdown in the Argentine cell phone networks because of the high number of calls that are made.

So....to friends in other parts of the world - Happy Friend Day!

B.

A damn big flower!

The big flower is located about a kilometer from our apartment.

On a sunny day, it gleams!

It is nice to see public companies donating to a city - given that this was from Lockheed Martin Aircraft - this actually could be a functioning radar dish and the whole city could be thinking it is just a damn big flower!
At night, the petals close up like a real flower would.

It is a pretty cool structure....for an engineered flower!
B.

Recoleta Cemetery - the big parking lot in the neighborhood

There is always a crowd of folks walking through the cemetery. Many with maps heading towards the famous mausoleums or tombs, others wandering the quieter parts and many photographers taking pictures from every angle.

For a midwinter day that was sunny and 20 degrees C, it was a beautiful day to be out anywhere in BA including this old cemetery.

In the Recoleta Cemetary, some tombs/crypts/mausoleums bear the names (and remains, I guess) of famous Argentines. We live on Avenida Alvear.

The Buenos Aires International Airport bears the Ezeiza name....

Some are in disrepair......

Others are under repair...........

Others are just plain grand.....either you planned it yourself or you were in the ground for awhile before you got your 'monument'!

Some are a very public but personal look into the family whose history lies here.....

Some look like they could be the local Irish pub on the corner and that the doors will open for business at noon!

Recoleta does have its living residents....

The sun catches some great stained glass pieces....

The most famous and most visited spot is where Eva Peron is buried. It is along one of the more narrow paths in the cemetary and there are usually 10 - 12 people standing near it. I happened to come upon for a brief moment when there was only one other person there.

And yes, it is still a functioning cemetery.....

B.

Stampede Breakfast - Argentine Style

We had the country & western music, we had the juice, we had the coffee and we had the pancakes, we had the cowboy hats and we had some laughs.


This morning I had arranged for a Stampede Breakfast.

Our good friend, Roc arranged to get me some of this year's Calgary Stampede posters.


I did delegate the organization of the morning to two very capable women in the office. My assistant, Juana and the Country Manager's assistant, Liliana. They took care of the rest.

Here, you don't just get a pancake - you get a panqueque!


A panqueque is a crepe and we served two kinds - one was filled with Ham & Cheese and the other filled with Dulce de Leche.

It was a good morning in the office. Breakfast isn't a significant meal here in Argentina - so to have a full blown - Stampede Breakfast was over the top.

We did have champagne available to mix with the OJ but we kept that on ice. I wanted to have a brindis (or a toast) with it but I was missing a couple of staff who were instrumental in recent work achievements, so we will wait until next week when they are back.

I take no credit for the cowboy hats in the pictures - but I do appreciate the effort by the ladies in the office (who have never been to a Stampede) to get pretty close.

Next year - we will schedule cowboy hat stomping or bar stool racing as has been suggested by my learned Stampede colleagues. I have already put in my order for the 2009 Stampede poster!

A few staff did make the trip to Calgary for the Stampede two years ago and one of them made a video of the trip. She was able to show it,for the first time, in the office, since she made it. It was very well done (and there was a pang of homesickness while I watched it).

Yahoo!

B.

The 9th of July

I don't know how many places in the world you can walk on 9th of July Avenue on the 9th of July.

Neuve de Julio (or 9th of July) is Independence Day here in Argentina. It relates to freedom from the King of Spain - who was having his own problems getting his butt kicked by Napoleon (ah, yes....timing is everything). And it is a public holiday!

This morning, I went into the office (surprise, surprise) and these two guys rode by the building. I hadn't seen mounted police here before. I think they only patrol when the traffic is light - holidays and weekends. No, they were not the beginning, middle and the end of the Independence Day parade!!

On the way back to the apartment, I took the long way home - I went for a walk along Avenida 9 de Julio. It took me towards the Obelisk which is about 2 km up the road from our place.
For having 22 lanes, traffic was very light because of the holiday. It was also sunny and 16. A lovely 'winter' day with a number of folks just hanging out at the plaza at the base of the Obelisk.

Along the way is the Teatro Colon, which is 100 years old this year. A major renovation was planned so that the grand re-opening would be timed with the 100th anniversary of the building (May, 2008). With just a month before it was to re-open, they announced it wouldn't re-open for another 18 months.
Apparently, the materials they used for seats and tapestries changed the acoustics so badly, they had to start over again. I think they ran out of money and didn't want to tell anyone. I have come to learn (painfully) that this kind of delay happens frequently (and the reasons aren't always that clear).

Hopefully, it will be open before we leave and we can enjoy a performance there.

B.

The neighborhood (or the barrio)

We really do live in an awesome part of Buenos Aires.

Our apartment is marked by the yellow pin on this Google Earth map (thanks Uncle Stephen).

Someone remarked 'what is that big parking lot near you?' Well, it is a parking lot...sort of. It is the famous Recoleta cemetary, where Eva Peron is buried. The green space between us and the cemetary, is where the 'Hippy Market' sets up every weekend. There are a couple of hundred stalls selling everything you can imagine (jewelry, art, clothing, carvings, food, footwear).....

If you go out the front door of our apartment and turn left, you would hit the Valentino store...the 1925 address marker is actually the address for our 'backdoor' - where deliveries are made to our apartment building.......

Next to Valentino's is Louis Vuitton. A store that I have never seen anyone in, except for the 5 or 6 staff that work there. I guess you only have to make one big sale and you are good for another month of standing around......
If you go out the door and turn right - viola - it's the Hermes store......

Across the street is the Alvear Palace - a classic hotel (but I am shying away from ordering the Hamberguesa Alvear for awhile).....

Down the street is the Santa Sede, the Vatican's 'embassy'....

Next to it is the the Park Hyatt, a good place to go for tapas (and English) when we need a fix of it....

And next door to the Park Hyatt is where the Munsters go for a vacation. This place looks like an abandoned mansion. Apparently the owners do 'winter' there because it is too hot to live there in the summer because they havent added air conditioning. The place looks pretty creepy but has such possibilities!! And yes, those are palm trees.....

Around the corner is the French Embassy...The flower seller....and right behind her is the Carlos Pellegrini memorial (Argentine president 1890-92)...no, the water is Pellegrino. Carlos was also the founder of the Jockey Club, a posh club across the road from his statue.

And here is Louisa, our portera - she (and Antonio) look after the building, the sidewalk and if she is at the door when we come home, she helps get us on the elevator!

B.

Workin' for a livin'....

I do work here....really and I dont say much about it on the blog (you know, disclosure laws and all).

Our staff count in BA has grown very quickly, filling the office space we have. Most staff have cubicles (or 'boxes' as they are called here). I dont mind the open office concept - it makes it easier for me to step outside MY office to look across the office to find someone!

I didnt bring many momentos with me to put in my office. I figured I would collect them along the way while I am here. I do have a couple of things from home though.....a 2008 Alberta Alpine calendar and this year's Calgary Stampede poster (thanks Roc!). This is the view out of my office window looking towards the San Martin Memorial. This photo was of the shooting of a car commercial back in May. What made me think of it was that I saw the full commercial on TV just last week. It was for a Ford Fiesta.

B.

El Obelisco

The Buenos Aires Obelisk was built in 1936 to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the first founding of the city. It is located in the center of the Plaza de la Republica and is at the intersection of Nueve de Julio (9th of July) and Corrientes avenues. It stands 67 metres tall.

I am impressed that it only took 4 weeks to construct (we could use that crew in the field!)


As I walk to and from work, I cross Nueve de Julio avenue and look up the street and see the obelisk. In late afternoon, the sun illuminates it and at night, spotlights do.



Marketing geniuses have figured out the Obelisk is frequented by tourists and locals alike. Many of the jumbo billboards are angled so that photographs catch the Obelisk AND the billboards.

It has become the focal point of celebrations and protests. They have had to fence off the base area as it has seen its share of graffiti but it doesnt stop the eggs.


B.