Tango Show, WHOA!

Thursday night was our Farewell Dinner Party for Córdoba.  We had dinner at ‘El Arrabal’, featuring a brilliant Tango Dance show by beautiful dancers!!  

I’ll let this video speak for itself.  Es muy caliente!

And, some party pics!

Sarah and I.

Our lovely leaders, Travis &  Samantha, aka Tramantha

Patrick...it's great to see this guy finally loosen up.

"They're matching!"

Some of our group who took tango lessons while in town.

Mike & Jess, who I would say earned Best Dressed!

Lisa & Abe!

Kelly & Tom!

And, the birthday girl, Samantha!

Loungin' at Late

Córdoba is known for nightlife.  Countless cool clubs, restaurants, lounges, etc.  Tonight was my first night at “Late”.  #lovedit  

Late is a pretty big place, but the outdoor back patio is where it’s at.  So many places in Córdoba have phenomenal decor.  It’s effortless.  Yet, exceptional.  And I am so inspired by Argentinean musical taste.  Destroyer: Chinatown?  Brilliant.

Derryl, Danielle, Miranda, Brecht, Patrick, Anhton, Tom, Casey and I had a ton of hearty laughs, ate delicious dishes, played impromptu & inappropriate Pictionary, and stormed the stage and jammed to Michael Jackson.  We were undoubtedly the loudest table at the place. But I think they loved us.  (Nope)

When we were dancing, one guy usurped the DJ table when the DJ left for a minute and turned the music down.  “This is not America, here we throw oranges at this.”  Hmmm...I think he meant throw tomatoes, but I’m still not even sure if he didn’t like the song, or he didn’t like us dancing on stage?

Sorry, but you can’t put MJ on and expect us to NOT DANCE.  You can take the Americans out of America, but you can’t take America out of the Americans. 

Not to mention, we had an Aussie with us.  And a guy from Brussels.  Show some love for Brussels, amigo!

Salt & Vineg--errr, Asado Flavor?

If you know me well, you know that I can take down a big bag of Lay’s Salt & Vinegar Chips in one night. (Right, Dad?  Not proud.)  

When I entered my first supermercado (grocery store) in Córdoba, I noticed a familiar color set.  Classic Lay’s amarillo, Sour Cream & Onion verde, and of course, that powder blue color that makes my mouth water:  Salt & Vinegar azul!  

After looking closer, I noticed something unfamiliar.  No jar of red vinegar or ramekin of salt.  

Instead, a seared steak on a wooden cutting board.  Sabor, Asado.  (~“Flavor, Roast”)

My mouth stopped watering.  Pavlov effect over.  Soul crushed.  

But I figure, maybe this Asado flavor is just as bueno as Salt & Vinegar?  If they’re willing to give it the powder blue color, it must be mouth watering, si?  So, I forked over the 40 pesos and headed home for a taste test.

An Asado in Argentina is a big deal.  It’s pretty much a BBQ...a big get together with tons of grilled meat.  But, the Asado flavor is not like BBQ flavor chips.  The best way to describe the taste is: if you were to grill a steak, trap the juices in a cup, and then pour those juices over classic Lay’s chips.  Steak juice chips!  

I was weirded out at first, and then warmed up to them.  I may not finish an Asado Lay’s bag in one night, but I wouldn't NOT want to eat them in bed while reading.  (Like I'm doing in the pic above)

Don’t judge.  

Junction: International Fusion Event

Our first monthly, big networking event!  Remote Year invites ~50 local business people to join us for a schmoozing night.  First, a cocktail mixer; second, a series of ‘lightning presentations’ (3 min career related speeches by various remotes and locals); and lastly, a sit down dinner.  

Last Thursday was our first Junction and I was asked to be a lightning presenter.  They put me last, which was an honor.  Most of the presenters talked about their specific businesses, but my topic was more motivational: “Find Your Career Zen”.  Master Nomi would be proud!  

Side note: it was ~40 degrees C, aka ~105 degrees F in this small room and everyone was drenched in sweat.  I felt like I played 2-on-2 before speaking.  Below, I'm attempting to strip my soaked shirt off my stomach. 

This was an awesome event!  At my table was one of the other presenters, Marcelo from a local studio MindSmack.  It turns out, Marcelo and I have practically identical resumes!  We hit it off big time, and I know we will keep in touch and maybe even work together in the future.

Loreda, Me, Samantha, Marcelo

Score one for Remote Year!  These Junctions are incredibly valuable networking opportunities.  It's a global market and you can learn a lot from your international counterparts.  #networking

Some pics of the event locale: Paradojas, in the Barrio Guelmes area of Córdoba.

And a rare #selfindulgent #selfie.

Celeb Sighting in Córdoba!

I left LA a little over 3 weeks ago, and didn’t expect to spot a celeb for another 49.  This past Saturday, I went on a wild goose chase down to Plaza San Martin to find a “convertidor de voltaje”.  2+ hours, 6+ miles, 8+ clumsy Spanish convos and no voltage converter.  

BUT, I spotted a huge crowd of ravenous fans, all amped up to get autographs...  

…of...

Ronald McDonald!

This guy is a legend here.  No joke.  They LOVE McDonalds!  “Que rico!”  

Can’t say I blame them.  I love Chicken McNuggets and Fries.  I just don’t like the way it sits in my stomach a half hour later, or the way it makes my car smell when I get into it the next morning.  

But, I don't drive a car anymore.  

And, now I’m totally craving McDonalds!  Who's with me?

Cousteau Clean Up Crew!

Today was the first community service event for Remote Year 3!  

Shortly after we arrived in Argentina, we assembled a positive impact committee to organize events in each city.  Travis and Arestia masterfully spearheaded a Park Clean Up Day, which was a huge success.  Parque Sarmiento is the largest public park in Córdoba, and my favorite running location.  It gets a lot of use by the locals every day, and there are many events there on the weekends.

We were divided into teams of 4.  Heather, Johnson, Kelly and myself tied for 1st place with 8 total bags!  I spent a good amount of time combing the shore of the lake, which was so gross.  I won’t even get into the stuff I came across, but let’s just say, it needed to be done.

Together, we picked up 61 large trash bags full of nasty junk!  We made a big difference.  I hope future Remote Year groups will carry on this tradition and keep Parque Sarmiento clean!

Photo Credit: Gonzalo Martinez

Popty Ping!

Did you know that the Welsh word for microwave is ‘popty ping’?  Es perfecto!

But, what does that have to do with my travels?  

Dos cosas (2 things):  

1: My fellow Remote Elizabeth Garrison, aka Translator Liz, aka @translator.liz, was the one who told me about popty ping.  She lives in Manchester England and speaks several languages.  Translator Liz is awesome and wields a wealth of weird words!

2: I came home the other night, turned on my bedroom light and ‘POPTY PING’!  The light bulb exploded.  Said light was hanging directly over my bed.  Shards of glass sprinkled down on my sheets and floor.  

Buenos tiempos!  

I started picking out shards from my sheets one at a time, largest first.  I could still sleep in the sheets after I swept through, just had to spot the sparklies.  

Hmmm.  Way too many sparklies.  Sleeping would surely result in blood shed.  Plan aborted.  Sheets rolled up.

Thankfully, I had spare sheets in my closet.  Popty ping problem solved!  THANK YOU, Remote Year!!!  

Check out this awesome Popty-Ping video!

And, another video about weird Welsh words: 

The Amazing Race - Córdoba

Our first full Sunday in Cordoba featured a team scavenger hunt called The Amazing Race.  Almost everyone was hungover (not me) and exhausted (me) from the excursion to Villa Carlos Paz the day before, and dancing at el nightclub til 5am anoche (me).  I just wanted a full day off to relax, but #fomo is a real thing and #thestruggleisreal.  

I put on my big boy pants, cuz I’m 38.  My teammates: Patrick (LA), Jacek (Austria), Liz (England) & Kirsten (Canada).  We came in dead last, but we definitely had the most fun!  We got ice cream, rode ponies, played with a box of puppies, saw a children’s clown show, etc.  Btw, none of those things were on the list.

Here are some highlights:

Posing like a boy band in front of the Iglesia Catedral de Córdoba.

Sliding down the cement at the Córdoba Cultural Center!

Praying inside the Capuchin Church.

The Pony Posse; our last stop La Rueda de Eiffel; and me praying inside Capuchin Church.

Stumbled on to a bizarro children's clown show. More on this in a future post... 

Can't resist a box full of puppies!

The event was from 4-7pm.  We came in around 7:15.  When we got to the finish line at the park, we pretended to run in all exhausted-like.  I think they believed us...not really.  

But, the journey IS the destination.  

Enjoy the ride!  Stop and smell the roses.  And, stop and pet the puppies.

The group celebrating in Parque de las Tejas!

You Can’t Always Get What You Want

At the end of my first week in Córdoba, I was physically and mentally exhausted.  The newness had taken its toll and I just wanted a solo supper and a quiet night.  I had eaten empanadas for almost every meal, but noticed the restaurant next door had fajitas!  

First Friday and I’m feelin’ like good ole familiar fajitas!

Went into the restaurant, and ordered up the pollo (chicken) fajitas.  The waitress looked confused, but I pointed to the menu.  No problem, right?

Problem.

The hostess comes over and attempts to explain that the fajitas are for 2 people.  I’m thinking, “No big deal, I’ll have leftovers.”  But, I can’t quite put it into words.  It’s my first Friday, my brain is fried, and oh yeah---I don't speak Spanish.

She points to the “Quesadilla Soho”.  Ok, I can’t read most of these words, but I see camarones --- shrimp.  Pressure mounting.  “Si, bueno.”  I’ll have the shrimp quesadilla.  Hrmph.  

My quesadilla comes out.  It’s shrimp, mussels (mejillones), peppers, onions, and mozzarella in a soggy tortilla with enough mussel broth to make Gordon Ramsey’s head explode.  Good ole familiar shrimp & mussels quesadilla, just like Mom used to make.  At least there was guacamole.  Guac makes everything better.  

Sometimes, you can’t always get what you want.  But, you gotta try sometimes.  

And, you gotta learn Spanish.

Paseo De Las Artes

Every Saturday and Sunday in Nueva Córdoba, they have an art walk.  And, lucky for me, Paseo De Las Artes is only 2 blocks from my place.  

This seems somewhat similar to the Venice Beach Boardwalk, sans the sound of the ocean and the smell of marijuana.  Strolling the street fair is a sweet way to spend a Saturday or Sunday.  

I even bought a couple souvenirs.  15 pesos ($1 USD) for a finger puppet?  

Deal.

"Mate", aka "Yerba Mate" is the drink of the Argentineans.  It is a daily, social ritual, sharing mate with friends is like having a cup of coffee in the States, or an afternoon tea in England.  Mate is drank out of a specific type of gourd, and drunk through a metallic straw.  This guy had some of the best setups Ive seen!

Mihai, fellow Remote from Romania, working a puppet!

Move over Jim Henson!

This guy belongs in Venice Beach!

Very cool style!

Some Remote Year friends, Mihai, Jonathan, Adam, Samantha, and Eric.

El Papagayo - 7 Courses of Scrumptious!

Last Thursday, we went to one of the finest restaurants in town: El Papagayo (The Parrot).  We all chose the 7 course menu, which took about 3.5 hours to roll out.  Gordon Ramsey would be proud of these stunning dishes!  But, I know he would have called an immediate meeting to ream the staff out for the Pork Neck being under seasoned.  Here’s the lineup:

1. Snacks (The amuse bouche was to die for!  I think it was a tuna nicoise with noodles, and some sort of a creamed egg with chives)
2. Beef Carpaccio, Grilled Squid, oyster sauce and pickles
3. Roasted pumpkin, chevre, burnt milk salad with egg yolk and amaretti meringue (Delicioso!)
4. Grilled prawns with romesco and spanish chorizo (My favorite dish!  Seasoned perfectly!)
5. Pork neck, sweet potato, beets and vanilla
6. Mazamorra with peaches (Almost like a sweet creamed corn)
7. Seasonal fruits, white chocolate crumble and verbana ice cream

They put us in this enclosed room overlooking the restaurant, most likely because they knew we would be the obnoxiously loud foreigners, which we definitely lived up to.  

An incredible evening with a diverse group hailing from Luxembourg, England, Germany, the Netherlands, India, Pittsburgh, New York City, Denver and Los Angeles.  All in all, this fine dining experience came out to 580 pesos + tip, which equates to roughly $42 USD.  Well worth it!  

Where I Work: Incutex

I am one of a few lucky Remotes to live 1 block away from our shared workspace.  It’s called Incutex, and we have pretty much taken over the 5th floor.  (See above pic: view from my apartment rooftop)   

Incutex is a co-working space that houses startup companies and entrepreneurs.  It’s a secure, modern facility with fairly solid wifi---the most important ingredient for remote working soup.  The wifi is not perfect, but guess what?  It wasn’t even close to perfect back in the United States!  

My fellow Remotes busy at work!

More Remotes: Kevin, Mr. PalmTree, (Lindsay, behind Mr. PalmTree) & Casey (left to right)

Incutex has a sweet lounge at the end of the hall called the TechPub.  This is where we have Remote Year meetings & special events like ping pong tournaments!  

​
Overall, I dig the workspace here in Córdoba and hope we get similar accommodations in the other cities!

My NutriBullet Bit the Bullet :[

1 checked bag, 1 carry-on and 1 personal item.  

For 1 year of travel.  

It makes sense to leave behind any non essentials.  But, somehow, it seemed essential to bring my brand new NutriBullet blender.  Cousin Kevin could not stop clowning me!  Wicked weird, but what can I say?  I like starting my day off smooth.  

The NutriBullet blender is not that big, and fit into my checked bag, no problem.  And, once I got some fresh frutas & vegetales here in Córdoba, it was GAME ON!  ‘Who’s weird now?’, I thought, as I’m sippin’ sweet smoothness.

But, suddenly, my smoothie smelled like…smoke?  And, then I saw...sparks?  Uh oh.  Apparently, my NutriBullet is no bueno with the voltage here in Argentina.  Guess I should have read question #10 on the NutriBullet FAQs page.  

On the bright side, even though the blender fit into my checked bag---it was a bit heavy.  I knew I needed to shed some lbs before the next flight, and I'm not about to get rid of essentials like Power Bars & Gummi Bears.

No Hablo Español

Mi nombre es Matt, o--en Córdoba, Argentina, me llamo Matías.  When I arrived in South America 9 days ago, I did not even know how to say the most basic things like, “My name is Matt.”  It just shows how incredibly busy I was pre-RY3.  No time to learn a new language when you’re packing your life into a storage unit.

But, a little over a week in Córdoba, and I feel light years ahead of where I was.  For one, I’m taking weekly Spanish lessons with our “profesora” Vicky (above).  And, two, I’m spending a lot of time in Duolingo, a phenomenal App that makes learning a new language like playing a game.

In the first Spanish class, we focused on “presentación”, aka introductions.  Vicky reviewed some basics and then asked the class for other questions we might ask a person we just met.  I blurted out, “Are you single?”, which drew a roar of laughter.  I didn’t really mean it to be funny--it seemed muy importante!  Thanks to Vicky, I now know how to say “Estás soltera?” and I feel much more equipped to hit the streets of Argentina.

For real though--being a non-Spanish speaking foreigner is incredibly humbling!

I pride myself on being a strong communicator, but now I can't even talk.  Now, I have a much deeper respect for foreigners who don’t speak the native tongue.  I highly encourage my fellow Americanos to have more empathy for people who don’t speak English.  IT AIN’T EASY being on the outside looking in.  Be kind, mmkay?  

Street Jugglers

Meet Eileen.

She is one of many street performers that dart out into the crosswalk at red lights here in Nueva Córdoba.  You see them on almost every major street.  Often they are riding a unicycle while juggling, or there will be two of them on unicycles juggling back and forth.  Mighty impressive!  Tip-worthy?  No doubt.

Interesting contrast to America, where most beggars just stand at the corner of the street with a sign.  Maybe they could learn something from these Argentines.  I know I’d be more inclined to tip if someone put on a show vs simply scrawling some sad stuff on a sign.  :[    

Empanadas & Chimichurri Chicken

“If you’re a vegetarian, you are in the wrong country.”  This classic quote had everyone in stitches!  We had a speaker from a local tourism company talk to us about Córdoba culture, cuisine, etc.  And, what we learned was: Argentina is known for their beef.  Yay for me!

Argentina is also known for empanadas.  These little pastries are filled with everything from beef, to chicken, to corn, to spinach, and my personal fave: Brie cheese (and apple, cranberry, sweet potato, etc.)  Almost every place you go sells empanadas---even little convenience stores.  

But, today I stumbled upon the best chicken I have ever had in my life.  Yeah, I said it.  I mean no disrespect to any chef in the US.  (I love you, Mom!!!)  And, I will admit, it is possible that because I haven’t eaten a lot of familiar foods lately, that my palette has been desensitized.  But, this rotisserie chicken was the best.  The most important ingredient: Chimichurri sauce, something Argentians are also known for.  

THE BEST PART:

This take-out restaurant, Le Poulet, is only two blocks from my apartment.  

And, this dish costs 40 pesos, ~$2.60 USD.  :]

Can't Stop Starbucks!

I moved to a South American country ~6000 miles from home, and the local Starbucks is closer to my apartment than back in the United States.  #globaldomination  

“It’s the Start of Remote Year as we know It!”

Remote Year is comprised of ~70 “Remotes” and 2 Staff.  Travis King is our Community Manager, and Samantha Thomas is our Operations Manager.  They are both incredibly sweet people, and GREAT leaders.

Travis wrote a song for us and sang it during orientation: a spin on the R.E.M. song, “It’s the End of the World as we know it”.  I didn’t get the whole clip but here is the final chorus.  He incorporated all of the Remotes’ names into the fast paced lyrics and absolutely blew us away!  This is the type of amazing thing that exceptional leaders do.  They invent creative ways to inspire and engage their communities.  

This song gives me the goosebumps.  And I’ve only been here 6 days.  

Imagine what I’ll be feeling in 350 days from now...