Roommates - Hello, Goodbye

I've been sad for the past couple of days as my roommates Osvaldo and Marissel abruptly left due to a personal dispute with my landlord. (I don't have a problem with him, but they hated him so much they really wanted to leave). We've been looking for a new place for a few weeks now, but things did not work out and they decided to move on their own near the Bronx (which was unacceptable for me). At any rate, they've left, I'm sad, but I'm dealing with it. Will miss them, the Spanish music and the home we've lived in for the past year.

Last Friday, my former roommate Adolfo from Argentina was in town again. He was a judge at a debate tournament in DC last week, and he visited New York, just like last year. We went to Chinatown for lunch: deep-fried softshell crabs and panfried noodles. Adolfo lives in the city of Salta in the middle of Argentina where there is no seafood (except for some odd river fish he was telling me) -- so it was a delight for him to have some "food from the sea" -- and also for me because I love softshell crab. While spending the day with Adolfo, I was reminded again how fascinating New York is -- walking a few blocks in Chinatown with its undecipherable signs and distinct odors, you would think you are in a different country. You go into the subway, then emerge a few stops later to a completely different neighborhood. Afterwards, I helped Adolfo setup his new laptop. And then I crashed because I had been awake for 24 hours.