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967 Posts
<p>Well, as a number of people have asked what I am doing in Argentina, and I guess, why I have been absent from this site, at least in writing, I have continued to be around in the background whilst not posting, I thought I better explain a little.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A couple of years ago I was in a bit of a rut, running wise, to be fair, since Surf City Marathon really, back in January 2008. My life was going OK(ish), but I was still somewhat frustrated with things. I met a lass from Argentina on line, while talking about the US presedential elections (of all things), and we met up in London a little while later. Well, one thing led to another, and I took a vacation down to Buenos Aires a short time later, and fell in love with the place, and the people.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Meanwhile, back in Ireland, the country was going through an economic crisis. I work for the government, and within five months, my pay was cut three times, with all promotions frozen, and all the experienced staff being offered early retirement. To put it mildly I was hacked off with everything going on. Then a ray of sunshine - The government offered a lifeline - A paid leave of absence for three years, for staff to come off the payroll for three years, witha the job to come back to after that time. For me, given the situation here in Argentina it wa a no-brainer, and in November 2009 my bags were packed and I arrived in Argentina on an adventure...</p>
<p> </p>
<p>So, here I am... So what did I do... Well, I found the Buenos Aires Hash House Harriers, and joined them for their runs every two weeks (and still do)..., my gf is a translator and runs an english language school, and as a native speaker I was asked to help out with converstaion classes for the students. As I have worked as a trainer before, I found it easy enough to adapt to teaching english as a second language, and my confidence and classes have increased in the 18 months I have been here. I am working with classes of students, as well as in-house with individuals in companies looking to improve their business and conversational english.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>As a bit of fun, along with a couple of other ex-pats, I set up a regular Friday night social gathering, Frinking, which brings together ex-pats and locals alike, in a social environment, and starts the weekend of in good style. The thing has grown ridiculously with over 150 people having attended over the months, and quite regularly groups of 30 to 40 heading out on a Friday night - All I have to do is work out how to make money from it
.....</p>
<p> </p>
<p>As for football. I have indeed been to watch some while here. Little secret that Argentines see football as a religion, and the passion is incredible. It does spill over into crowd trouble at some matches, with riot police required sometimes, but generally it is passionate, intimidating to those not used to it, but safe enough for the "tourist" to attend and enjoy. For my sins, I have become a Racing Club de Avellaneda fan, my local club, and look forward to a few more matches while I am here.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>As for running, well that has been a different story. As I said at the outset, I was in a rut with my running, a few good weeks then hitting a wall, and getting fed up with it all. when I arrived here, I had good intentions, what with the better climate. But actually, the climate is not that conducive for running, as it's TOO HOT. I arrived in November, as summer arrived, and from then until March, the temps rarely dropped below 30 degrees, that's high 80's, every day. being used to a hot summer in Ireland being 70, and at home the shorts come out when the temps hit the 50's, I found it too hot to train. Having said that, there is a good running scene here in Buenos Aires, with a regular suypply of races from 5k up to 1/2 marathons - Only problem is, they call every race, irrespective of distance, a "maraton"... Confusing sometimes....</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I did go the gym at times, but I became lazy. The good food, wine, beer, easy life, lead to a weight gain, and by the time I had been here a year, I had added nearly 20 lbs in weight, and aside from the hash runs, I was lucky if I was running once a week. I decided at Xmas that 2011 would be different, and along with an Australian friend here who ran the BA marathon last October (10.10.10), we agreed to train for the Rosario Marathon in June. However fate took its hand again, and in January, while home in Ireland, I was struck with an incredible painful dose of gout, which laid me up for 6 weeks. The medical opinion has made it clear that I need to get back to where I was in 2008 and before - lose the weight, get the diet back on track, and most importantly, get my running back. We have postponed the Rosario marathon for this year, and instead we are aiming at the Buenos Aires Marathon on 9.10.11, but that's a long way off yet....</p>
<p> </p>
<p>So here I am - back running, albeit slowly, still in Argentina, learning to speak Spanish, which believe me for this ****** has been a tough challenge, and teaching english. I have 18 months left before I have to decide if I am heading home, or maybe staying here and settling in a foreign country. It has it's pluses, and naturally it has it's minuses, but I don't have to make the decision for a while yet. In the meantime, life goes on, the adventure continues, and my running mojo is returning..... can't all be bad.....</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>A couple of years ago I was in a bit of a rut, running wise, to be fair, since Surf City Marathon really, back in January 2008. My life was going OK(ish), but I was still somewhat frustrated with things. I met a lass from Argentina on line, while talking about the US presedential elections (of all things), and we met up in London a little while later. Well, one thing led to another, and I took a vacation down to Buenos Aires a short time later, and fell in love with the place, and the people.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Meanwhile, back in Ireland, the country was going through an economic crisis. I work for the government, and within five months, my pay was cut three times, with all promotions frozen, and all the experienced staff being offered early retirement. To put it mildly I was hacked off with everything going on. Then a ray of sunshine - The government offered a lifeline - A paid leave of absence for three years, for staff to come off the payroll for three years, witha the job to come back to after that time. For me, given the situation here in Argentina it wa a no-brainer, and in November 2009 my bags were packed and I arrived in Argentina on an adventure...</p>
<p> </p>
<p>So, here I am... So what did I do... Well, I found the Buenos Aires Hash House Harriers, and joined them for their runs every two weeks (and still do)..., my gf is a translator and runs an english language school, and as a native speaker I was asked to help out with converstaion classes for the students. As I have worked as a trainer before, I found it easy enough to adapt to teaching english as a second language, and my confidence and classes have increased in the 18 months I have been here. I am working with classes of students, as well as in-house with individuals in companies looking to improve their business and conversational english.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>As a bit of fun, along with a couple of other ex-pats, I set up a regular Friday night social gathering, Frinking, which brings together ex-pats and locals alike, in a social environment, and starts the weekend of in good style. The thing has grown ridiculously with over 150 people having attended over the months, and quite regularly groups of 30 to 40 heading out on a Friday night - All I have to do is work out how to make money from it
.....</p><p> </p>
<p>As for football. I have indeed been to watch some while here. Little secret that Argentines see football as a religion, and the passion is incredible. It does spill over into crowd trouble at some matches, with riot police required sometimes, but generally it is passionate, intimidating to those not used to it, but safe enough for the "tourist" to attend and enjoy. For my sins, I have become a Racing Club de Avellaneda fan, my local club, and look forward to a few more matches while I am here.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>As for running, well that has been a different story. As I said at the outset, I was in a rut with my running, a few good weeks then hitting a wall, and getting fed up with it all. when I arrived here, I had good intentions, what with the better climate. But actually, the climate is not that conducive for running, as it's TOO HOT. I arrived in November, as summer arrived, and from then until March, the temps rarely dropped below 30 degrees, that's high 80's, every day. being used to a hot summer in Ireland being 70, and at home the shorts come out when the temps hit the 50's, I found it too hot to train. Having said that, there is a good running scene here in Buenos Aires, with a regular suypply of races from 5k up to 1/2 marathons - Only problem is, they call every race, irrespective of distance, a "maraton"... Confusing sometimes....</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I did go the gym at times, but I became lazy. The good food, wine, beer, easy life, lead to a weight gain, and by the time I had been here a year, I had added nearly 20 lbs in weight, and aside from the hash runs, I was lucky if I was running once a week. I decided at Xmas that 2011 would be different, and along with an Australian friend here who ran the BA marathon last October (10.10.10), we agreed to train for the Rosario Marathon in June. However fate took its hand again, and in January, while home in Ireland, I was struck with an incredible painful dose of gout, which laid me up for 6 weeks. The medical opinion has made it clear that I need to get back to where I was in 2008 and before - lose the weight, get the diet back on track, and most importantly, get my running back. We have postponed the Rosario marathon for this year, and instead we are aiming at the Buenos Aires Marathon on 9.10.11, but that's a long way off yet....</p>
<p> </p>
<p>So here I am - back running, albeit slowly, still in Argentina, learning to speak Spanish, which believe me for this ****** has been a tough challenge, and teaching english. I have 18 months left before I have to decide if I am heading home, or maybe staying here and settling in a foreign country. It has it's pluses, and naturally it has it's minuses, but I don't have to make the decision for a while yet. In the meantime, life goes on, the adventure continues, and my running mojo is returning..... can't all be bad.....</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
