First few nights at the new apartment

First few nights at the apartment.  Lovin’ it. Anna and I get home around 10. The bus drops us off at a McDonalds and we walk about 6-7 blocks home.  We live in a nice neighborhood that has lots of new buildings and is always bustling, definitely a safer area to be living in.  Our roommate, Matias, gets home around 6.  Tonight he made us pasta with eggs and milanesa (breaded meat baked or fried). Uruguayans don’t eat eggs at breakfast, but rather at lunch and dinner. Yesterday he made milanesa and rice with some good ole’ mayonnaise. 

Our apartment has an awesome location.  Across the street is a fruit/veggie market, bakery, 24 hour gas station and gym (like I’m ever going to go anyway).  We live on 21 de septiembre which is a very busy street which is great to catch busses or cabs.  We are also about 5 blocks from an emergency room.  The other day, Matias had an allergic reaction and we literally just walked down the street to the ER.  I still am foggy about the details of Uruguayan healthcare, but from what I know you register with a provider who you will use for medical issues.  Matias is registered with the ER down the street so he walked in, provided his number and within 5 mins was in a room getting treated.  I’m going to have to learn more about insurance here…people have explained it to me, but I always forget.

`We are already enjoying the crazy life of renting. Our kitchen sink is horribly clogged, our fridge and washing machine are broken.  We called the repair man, who forgot to come (SOO TYPICAL HERE)….all the fun stuff! But we make due, as always. 

Me and Anna had our mattresses delivered this weekend.  I told the delivery guys to come in the morning.  I knew they wouldn’t come, so me and Anna went shopping and got home around 12.  Left again to go to the grocery store, came home, ate lunch, fell asleep and around 2 or so they finally buzzed up and we had our mattresses!  The thing about living here is I have to think opposite of so many ways I am used to living. 

For example, people tell me to stop working so hard, because people will expect even more from me.

Or when someone says they will be there in 15 minutes, it means 1 hour.

Now these things may seem frustrating or counter-productive in one mindset.  But there are also plenty of positives.  People enjoy where they are and who they are with…they are not planning about the next thing they have.  You know when you are talking to someone, they aren’t thinking about the million things they have to do, they are in the moment and listening to you.  There are so many times I have to remind myself that things will get done whether or not I stress about them. 

So I struggle to keep my brain in 2 different worlds, enjoying every minute.