April 2017

Being in Cordoba became the month that I really started to think about how the end of Remote Year was about to become a reality. Most of Remote Year was about living in the moment and never really harping on the past or the near future. But, once we were in the second to last month; it was hard not to think about how our motley crew of travelers was soon coming to somewhat of an end. I didn't let this sour my experiences in Cordoba but it definitely was something in the back of my mind.

Cordoba is a young college town with amazingly beautiful architecture nestled in the middle of sparse and lush forests and farms. Every night there seemed to be hordes of college students partying and cars driving by with obnoxiously loud sound systems yet, oddly enough, this city offered me the chance to slow down a bit as there seemed to be less stimulation available compared to Lima. Cordoba offered chill night bar hopping, trekking its endless forests and hikes, and mediocre food to explore. And, this isn't a dig at the food scene of Cordoba but when I compare it to the other cities, it falls very low on the list.

I spent much of the month figuring out what I planned to do once Remote Year was to end. It was scary and also exciting to plan my "life after Remote Year". And, I spent the rest of the time exploring the bar and restaurant scene with my fellow Remote Year family. We all talked about how, although Remote Year was "ending", we all planned to keep in close contact with each other, over the years and forever ever. This was one of the best months to start looking at all we had accomplished and to imagine what we wanted from our futures together.

Highlights

Visiting a monkey sanctuary
Celebrating Malbec World Day
Eating plenty of asado (barbeque)
Trying milanesa (pounded piece of fried breaded beef) for the first time
Empanadas, empanadas and more empanadas
Visiting the spooky town of Capilla del Monte and hiking Uritorco mountain - well known for UFO sightings
Visiting a local musician who showed us the secrets of one of the most historical trades in Argentina through the process of making the traditional native drums called the bombo drum. Also got a chance to learn how to play some simple beats on the drum. But, unfortunately, this is when I learned that my blackness didn't automatically endow me with some type of divine rhythm skills.
Meeting a local girl who was able to school me on many local bands and types of local music including: Viaje a un Minúsculo planeta, Goyeneche & Juana Molina
Watching a performance of the local soulful band known as The Reverend Sons Of...