In Sickness and In Health

No, I am definitely not married or on the track to getting married.  Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever even had a relationship that lasted long enough for me to consider marriage.  But that's beside the point.  What the title of this post perhaps mockingly refers to is my attachment to Argentina, even with the fear of Swine Flu on the horizon.

Let me make clear to all of you right now that I am in good health and am taking the responsible measures appropriate for the prevention of Swine Flu infection.  I must also inform you that all educational institutions, including the one at which I am visiting, have been closed for at least the next two weeks due to increasing reports of Swine Flu infections.  This may mean a four week break due to the fact that in two weeks students here would normally go on winter vacation.  There have been two deaths from COMPLICATIONS with Swine Flu, neither in areas near Rosario.  The feelings of those I am working with at ARICANA are that the measure of shutting down educational institutions across the board is a drastic one and not a need for great worry.

On the flip side, this means I have nearly a month vacation myself.  I'll have more time to talk with people--perhaps in Spanish even.  The weather is a bit cooler than I expected, but that won't keep me from wandering about.  What I need to find is one of those picturesque little cafes on an interesting street corner where I can look pensively out of the window as I nibble on some overpriced pastry and sip very strong coffee all while becoming chummy with the owner of the place who will regularly overcharge me by a peso or two because he knows I'm a foreigner and don't know the difference between good coffee and dish water.  Ah, the life.  I do love Argentina.

Chau.