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Its really silly that I've been to 14 countries, but the only place I want to go right now is Valencia Street.

Today I'm going to get my mind off things and see some majestic waterfalls with the gang. I'm so lucky I have them to support me and listen to my rants about life and death. I can't handle the idea of most of them leaving in 8 days.

This quote from a terribly popular and catchy song, "California Gurls" is stuck in my head...

"You can travel the world, but nothing comes close to the golden coast!"

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLLLLLL

Yesterday I watched my first partida del Copa mundial, probably ever. Unless I was sitting with Grandpa when he was watching one. It was the third game Argentina has played so far, and the third one they won. I didn't watch the others because of class and the fact that one was at 8 in the morning, but I also was sort of nervous that it would remind me too much of my Grandpa.

I've recently been playing this game where I grade the old men I see on the streets according to how much they look like him. I've seen a lot of good noses and ears and slicked-back hairdos, but obviously no one will ever get an A!

Back to the game--the first half I knitted through, because it was boring and nothing happened. The second half was awesome. Messi (the star and captain of the game) was sort of slacking, but he did make this amazing shot that bounced off the pole of the goal. So crazy. Then finally this other guy made a goal and then Palermo (another famous player, and also the name of the ritzy neighborhood of BA) made a second one, when the team's morale was already pretty high. Of course they gave Palermo all the credit and didn't even interview the player who made the 1st goal! Lame!

We went to a bar in San Telmo to watch. We were lucky we got a seat, it was the second bar we went to because the first was packed. In the minutes before the game, the streets were moving at an even faster pace than normal; everyone was rushing to get to there game-watching station. I know that sports are really important to many people in the states, but I have never seen any event that EVERYONE in the country/city/neighborhood gets so excited about.

At church on Sunday the priest made a pretty crazy connection with the word "mesias" that means messiah and Messi the player. I didn't understand all his fast words around the reference, but the connection was made. I'm sure he only blasphemed a little bit.

Sunday its on: MEXICO v. ARGENTINA. I would cheer for Mexico in Grandpa's honor, but my friend said that if I value my life at all, I should not. We have no doubts that I would get attacked probably by the barra bravas (the super intense fans). So cheer for Mexico for me and Grandpa, I'll be here cheering for Messi!

Kidneys

Riñones have become a pretty big part of my life in the past couple of years. What they do, what they stop doing, what diet is better for them, how important they are.

My Grandpa (maternal grandfather) essentially died from kidney failure. His heart couldn't handle dialysis anymore after 8 months and so the doctors did their last dialysis and in less that 5 days he left this life. (Dialysis is a magical fascinating thing that sucks your blood out of your body and puts it through a machine that acts like a kidney and filters the icky stuff out of your blood, and then it gives your blood back = pretty intense process!) Let me also add a random fact--that my grandpa was just randomly born with one normal sized kidney and one smaller one.

My Grandma (maternal grandmother) had cancerous matter in one of her kidneys so that one got taken right out about 3 years ago and the other one has been "the kidney-that-could" since then. Its finally ready to take a break and is asking for that magical and yet straining machine to do its job for it. So, most likely my Gramsey-goo will be starting dialysis soon.

My Papa (paternal grandfather) is having part of his kidney removed on Tuesday because of some sketchy tumor. (Prayers!)

So all of this makes me think about kidneys and how important they are. They take the pee out of your blood. What a hard job and what an incredibly necessary job.

Click here to read some great info about kidneys!

I've also looked up tips on keeping your kidney's healthy and found a couple hard to pronounce vitamins that we should all take, but I think that just general health is advised.

Good thing I'm going on an "Urban Biking and Kayaking" day tomorrow on a nearby island called El Tigre.

Grandpa Dreams

I have been having very vivid dreams almost every night for the past couple of weeks. Maybe because school hasn't really started yet, and I'm not very stressed about anything, except whether or not I should to to Mendoza, Argentina--home of Argentine wine--for Easter weekend or not.

One of them had grandpa in it, and when this happens I like to write it down. This is my only real journal while I'm here so here it goes.

I was at Holy Family at church and Monsignor Connelly was giving his homily from a very, very high ambo when the entire Fogliani family came in late. With them came an older man who looked just like my grandpa. I instictually hugged and kissed him on the cheek and he didn't know why. Buddy told me that he was St. Jude, the saint of lost causes and that I shouldn't kiss him on the cheek. After that I woke up.

This is only the second dream I've had with my grandpa in it. I wish there were more. I really don't know what it means. I think its kinda silly that the Fogliani's came in late, and that my grandpa was St. Jude. I don't like that my grandpa didn't recognize me.

The first grandpa dream I had took place in my front yard at a party. He was pretty sick then, and I was cutting up and feeding him pieces of watermelon. That's all, it was that simple. I liked this dream a lot better, because it reminded me of my last 3 days with him in the hospital feeding him cranberry juice on little sponges.

I'm at a really good place with my grandpa-woes, I see him in all the old-Hispanic men around the city all the time. I just wish I could come home and speak spanish with him!

Speaking of Easter: We did decide to go to Mendoza, Argentina for la Semana Santa. So that's where I'll be between 31 de marzo- 4 de abril. Look it up, its supposed to be beautiful!

Loss = Love

Yesterday after work at Abuelita's, my brother and I went to a Chinese Restaurant to see my mom and Auntie Cristina with 5 of their first cousins. Here is the picture of the 7 Mexican women that completely dominated the Chinese Restaurant last night.

Two of the cousins or primas live in Guadalajara, Mexico and came because my great-aunt Maria Lupe hasn't been doing well in the past couple of weeks. Maria Lupe is my late grandpa's older sister and she is almost 93 years old. This little reunion was so special, because it hasn't happened for a while, and it was meaningful since almost everyone at this table has lost one parent in the last 10 years and now had this in common.

My grandpa died 11 months ago today at 83 years old. Exactly a month from today will be his "death day" celebration and that idea is completely overwhelming. I feel him with me and in the other room when I'm taking care of my grandma, and everytime I see his chain around my neck. I always say that I wish people talked about death more because I felt somewhat alone when I was mourning in New York. I'm starting to realize why people don't though, it stings so terribly and makes us think about our own mortality, which can be scary.

Amanda my best friend since Kindergarten is leaving for Boston in two days, which means that I won't see her for 6 months, until after Argentina. I have had to say many goodbyes in 2009, some more permanent than others, nevertheless they have become much harder for me to get through. All the adventures I have had and been blessed with come with a cost since I am always away from people that I love--whether its my family and childhood friends, or my New York family.

I was happy to see my mom reuniting with her cousins because even though our lives have all recently had the pain of loss, they all stay in touch, which I think is most important! So even though I always miss people, it reminds me that I have loved people, and they have loved me, and still do, so in the end its worth it!