Where the heck is my bag???!!!

Today is Tuesday, August 16 2005… a month after my first day in Buenos Aires. I had my Spanish class as usual. The weather wasn’t that cold and UBA was still on strike…

After my Spanish class, with Erin and Elise, I went to UBA for our 5pm class. But since it was still quite early, we decided to tomar un cafecito. So we went into a café across UBA called Afeirte, or something like this. I ordered cheese sandwich and we all chit-chat like we also do. Sarah came to join us later…

As we were about to pay the bill, I think it was 4.30pm, I looked for my bag on the floor and MY BAG WAS GONE! Aaaaaaaaaa…. Where the heck is it? I was quite panicked trying to convince myself that it was just a dream. BUT IT WASN’T A DREAM!!! I said to myself that I had it with me when we entered the café. The waitress was “so nice” that she only said to me that “never in Buenos Aires put a bag on the floor… now you know what happens if you do so.” HAH??!! Thanks a lot!

I tried to calm myself down. Surprisingly I didn’t cry or go crazy… I went to a locutorio (a telephone café) and called Mario. I don’t know if he was trying to calm me down or what, but he told me that it happens often in Buenos Aires---people steal your bag, no matter how heavy it is and where you war L
So I went home worrying what my host mum would say. She was mad at all and we both went to a shop where they make keys (coz I had the keys in my bag!!!) and got it fixed an hour later.

As I was about to call my parents from the locutorio, I checked the voicemail and someone called saying that my stuff was found!!! Thanks GOD! I went to a locutorio mentioned, which apparently a couple of blocks away from UBA and found 80% of my belongings, minus the bag and money… Pheeww…

From then on, I never put my things on the floor and became a bit prejudice against people. I was a bit paranoid for awhile when I’m in the public place…

- BE CAREFUL WHEN YOU’RE IN A RESTAURANT
- NEVER PUT YOUR BELONGINGS ON THE FLOOR
- BE CRAEFUL WITH BEGGARS, NO MATTER HOW CUTE THEIR KIDS ARE