A moment to rant

Here is the thing, I am having some trouble adjusting to the Argentinian lifestyle and perhaps my main problem is, I don't want to adjust.

Let me explain.

Argentinians (and perhaps everyone south of the United States) run on an alternative time schedule I just cannot grasp. When they say they will meet you at 8 they really mean 9:47. And when they want to do something, you could run a marathon waiting for them to get ready... not a bad idea.

The steps to getting to a restaurant are as follows:

1. Wow, I'm really hungry. Let's go out to dinner.
2. But first, let's lounge around the couch for a few hours
3. Walk the dog
4. Do some yoga
5. Perhaps take a shower
6. Change clothes
7. And pick up the apartment
8. And finally, when they are outside, it dawns on them they have yet to pick a place to eat...

You get the point.

I guess I will never truly be a real porteño because I see this process happening and all I want to do is jump out of my skin. The mere thought of having to go through these slow, agonizing steps makes me feel like a person stuck behind an old couple in the ticket line to see the midnight viewing of batman. you know that there are only a few tickets left and the couple cannot decide if they want to go see Wall-E or the latest Woody Allen flick. They are fighting and going back and forth (I picture them fighting with Yiddish inflections... it makes it more strenuous) on which one they want to see and all you can think about is getting up to the ticket line to buy your damn ticket!

Now you know how I feel.

Although let it be said that Mimi has adjusted beautifully to this way of life. I need to know how she does it...