Lots to report!

I realize that there are lots of items to discuss and so little time to discuss them. So let's get down to business.

1- My trip 2 weeks ago to Buenos Aires & Montevideo was great! I thoroughly enjoyed figuring out the crazy bus system of Buenos Aires (I took public transit to/from the airport & boat terminals), and I feel like I got to see parts of the city that aren't on the main tourist circuit. Of course I visited the requisite port, waterfront, plazas, and parks of BA, and ate lots of alfajores (like a cookie-biscuit, I guess, with gooey goodness inside!). I also toured the BA museum of art (the entry was free!) and found the tomb of Eva Peron ("Don't cry for me, Argentina").

I had lunch with a friend I met while traveling in Mendoza, Argentina, in February, and found a really great hostel full of fun people. I very highly recommend it; it really was one of the best hostels I've ever stayed in (and by now I have lots of experience!) Hostel Arrabal We went out to eat a steak dinner the first night, and stayed in and cooked stir-fry the second night. It was just the relaxing - but still fun - experience I was looking for in BA.

After 2 days in BA, I took the Buquebus ferry directly to Montevideo where I spent time chilling in the sun along the Rambla. I have to say, however, that the Uruguayos are incredibly strange with their "mate". It's a national addiction, as I saw literally hundreds of people, of all shapes, backgrounds, etc walking / driving (the bus driver too?!) with their hot water bottle in one hand, the curiously shaped mate cup in the other hand, and a smile on their face. It has to be some kind of narcotic. Hahaha. Otherwise, though, my experience in Uruguay was also tranquil, an interesting change from the chaotic life (yet still relaxed-pace... as evident from the hundreds of young people chilling in the parks) of BA. My hostel, while downtown, was much older and surrounded by belligerant homeless. Honestly I don't know what to do around those types -- one guy who I gave a coin to got mad at me after I gave him what he asked for (money) and actually - while standing in my face - threw the coin onto the roof of a nearby building. I quickly told him to leave me alone, loudly and sternly. The others were not so ridiculous, but definitely the kind of "follow you around until you give it up" beggars.

Anyway, back in the Montevideo airport, I was surprised to have to pay a $35 exit tax (ugh!), but pleased with my spanish progress when I immediately recognized the distinctly chileno accent in the waiting lounge. The LAN flights, both from Stgo to BA, and from MVD to Stgo, weren't spacious (leg room is lacking!), but they are at least new with tv screens in the backs of each economy-class seat. Why won't the US air industry adopt this strategy?

2. I already posted on Gustav, but Hanna was in its infancy early last week. Obviously it never strengthened beyond minimal category 1, but regardless still passed over my parents' place in NC with strong wind & rains. I think the piedmonts of SC, NC, and VA got between 3-6" of well-needed rain and a good reminder that TCs don't always bring death & destruction.

3. Just before Hanna passed along the mid-Atlantic coast, I actually flew up to Maryland to interview for an assistant professor position. I think the interview went really well, and at least for my part, the "fit" seems good between the dept & my interests. As is typical with university hires, I'm now waiting for the committee to evaluate the other candidates and get back to me. Stay tuned, as always!

4. Last night I joined 65,000 other Chileans in the National Stadium to watch Chile vs Brazil in soccer. The game was full of amazing plays, spectacular ball-handling, great shots-on-goal, and crowd-wowing break-aways. Too bad it was Brazil putting on the show. It was such a blow-out that Brazil's star player, Ronaldinho, was taken out early in the 2nd half to preserve his energy for Wednesday's match. The game was sad because we (a ph.d. student in the Geophysics dept, her boyfriend & her mom, and me) arrived 4 hours before the start to a stadium full of energy & festivity. We knew we were outmatched but still had hope. Brazil's skills though dashed that hope really quickly though. Oh well. Colombia comes to Santiago this coming Wednesday, and I'm going hoping for a better outcome!

5. Ike looks to be yet another strong hurricane landfall in the Gulf of Mexico. This year is shaping up to be another where US hurricane losses add up big. Obviously not to the scale of 2004 or 2005, but not like last year or 2006 where few hurricanes made landfall. Will be interesting to follow Ike.... right now looks like the upper Texas coast is the likely impact zone.