I Love You Fatty

I am not sure what it is, but I am enamored with the small things of life when I travel. Or maybe they aren't the 'small' things, but they seem inconsequential when they happen around me. Tonight, on my 2 hour walk of getting lost (i.e. getting my bearings honed in), I stopped off in a small shop to buy a coke. Ended up speaking with the owner for 15 minutes or so, laughing my *** off as he imitated English people with their posh sounding accent when they spoke Spanish. I have nothing against English people, and I like their accent, but having a 100% Spanish conversation with a stranger who then starts speaking like an Englishman trying to speak Spanish had me rolling.

I walked out of the shop and into the house of some new friends of mine - we had a Tday feast. Surrounded by some beautifully kind, open, engaging, fun-filled people for three or so hours will be my memory for 2008's Thanksgiving. Although at times I couldn't follow the conversation, I trusted they weren't talking about the new dude hanging out who wasn't understanding everything being said?

Or maybe it was the two guys leaving the apartment together as I stood at the bus stop waiting. They kissed each other good night, and off one went while the other went back into the apartment. It's Uruguay, and that is the custom - friends kiss each other without a thought, or worry, of anything else.

But it is late, I have class tomorrow morning and something else that could be huge (not to be building anything up here, it's nothing really - OK, maybe something) - I need to go to sleep for a few hours. But I need to tell you that, once again, it is great to be surrounded by people sincerely intrigued and interested in a stranger. Or just talking about whatever they want to, as did the security guard tonight as I walked by him and we fell into conversation about Uruguay. Well, that's enough for me. Goodnight.

Oh, and here is another land, like Argentina and I think Mexico, in which loved ones call each other "Gordo or Gorda" - meaning FAT. Classic.