The rains arrived in Buenos Aires and the timing couldn’t be more perfect as I needed to run errands and update my resume. I accomplished a lot. I purchased groceries at the supermercado, took a nap, watched the old 90210 in Spanish and added the very first line to my resume….KELLY GLYNN. Since I exerted a great deal of effort thinking up that line, I decided to call it a day on the job search front.

I explored a few more neighborhoods surrounding my apartment and I stumbled upon the most gorgeous homes as well as many of the embassies. The homes are hidden in the trees and are actually quite large. The architecture is a mix of Italian and modern and they resemble a Chicago brownstone but on a much grander scale. Most contain security fences and are set back from the street. My only complaint about Buenos Aires thus far is that dog owners do not pick up the dog poop. Here I am wandering the neighborhoods enjoying the architecture and nature and then squish. I only make note of this as I have stepped in crap no less than 3 times in my 10-day stay. The government must realize it’s a problem or they wouldn’t have started fencing in parks. My unsolicited advice—rarely is it solicited— is the government should fine every offender especially those permitting sidewalk defecation. Plus, I’m fairly certain one out of four locals has a dog here. Dog walkers can be seen at all hours of the day being dragged by no less than eight dogs. I can’t help but chuckle watching this scene take place. It’s a dog’s world in Buenos Aires.

It’s always my hope that people my reading my blog learn a little something about the places I visit. When I arrived, my friend Tim and I discussed the difference between South America and Latin America. Many of his Argentinian friends disregard the Latin American reference as negative and prefer to be called South Americans. We had a few theories but we dispelled most of them. Therefore, today’s lesson: What is the difference between Latin American and South America? It’s a bit blurred by countries unwilling to be labeled as such but essentially Latin America makes up all those countries whose language is derived from Latin particularly Spanish, Portuguese and French. The continent is South America. Most people in the United States consider Latin America all country’s below our border but the broader definition includes everything from Mexico to Argentina and Cuba, Puerto Rico, Brazil, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Chile etc. The Dutch speaking countries of Suriname, Arbua and the Antilles are excluded. That’s enough for today.

My friend from NY and my tennis doubles partner, Maria is arriving today. We expect to shake up the city, take in a tango and sample more Malbecs. I’m looking forward to talking to someone other than the taxi drivers for a few days. Stay tuned for more Argentinian adventures.