Dispatching from Queens

Buenas noticias: I send this dispatch from my new apartment in the heart of Palermo Queens. Yes, that's right - among the hip subneighborhoods popping up in the barrio of Palermo is "Palermo Queens." Just south of Palermo Hollywood and southeast of Palermo Soho (if my geography is right).  

As far as a I can tell, Queens in Argentina is known for its proximity to the subway, a vast number of sandwich shops and a large Orthodox Jewish community. Huh.

The apartment hunt was quite a trial, partly because finding a three bedroom is insanely difficult, but mostly because the apartment advertisements online look something like this:

45 years old building, newly recycled department with two environments ubicated in Palermo.  Full equipment for six passengers this department has a lot of luminosity. Just five blocks away from Bosque Palermo (like Central Park in New York), a big park full of trees, green very nice for run. $1600 USD

Ahh the joys of translations. An apartment here is "un departamento," hence the common use of "department" for apartment. Located in Spanish is "ubicado," hence the creation of my favorite new verb "ubicated."  And the word here for rooms is "ambientes," which can be translated to either "rooms" or "environments," depending on the context.

In short, it's an amazing relief to be in our apartment and finally begin our lives in Palermo Queens. Somehow we managed to make it thus far with only trip to urgent care (it was for Alana, she's fine, dont't worry!) and just one near run-in with the Argentine police (long story - bad experience with an overeager realtor). Perhaps most importantly, we managed to find an apartment before having to replace our travel shampoos.

A little about the apartment: It does in fact have quite a bit of luminosity, as well as some shockingly bright but somewhat endearing lime green futons (and also matching lime green towels, which Alana is currently wearing). Perhaps most importantly, we have cable, which means during our descansos from the job hunt, we can watch the Brazilian version of America's Next Top Model.

Hasta pronto!

Chau,

Julie