Before I met Javier, I was dating a guy in Chicago.  We sort of broke up as I was going on my trip to Buenos Aires because every time we talked about our relationship, I would hyperventilate.  I thought it was just coincidence because I was really stressed out at work, but he was convinced otherwise and oddly enough, we remain friends to this day.

I went on vacation to Buenos Aires to hang out with my friend Mariu and enjoy Buenos Aires, the city I had fallen in love with the year before.  I was only staying for just over a week this time. My friend Mido in Chicago had a friend who recently moved to Buenos Aires to be with her Argentine boyfriend.  She left behind a backpack in Chicago and he asked me to bring it down for her.  Of course I would.  I met up with her towards the end of the week on a Friday.  Lovely girl.  She and her boyfriend were so nice.  They invited me to go out to tango with them and even though I could have thought of a million and one things that I’d rather do than go to a tango salon, I went anyway.

As I walked into Salon Canning, I saw this guy in line in front of me.  I knew him!  But how?  Oh that’s right!  I danced with him in this exact same place the previous year. We had a great conversation and he was really cute! But last year, I had a boyfriend and this year… no!  Maybe he would remember me too!  Well, how could he not? Our conversation was THAT great!

So I sat down at the table with my new friends and when this guy passed by, I flashed a big flirty smile and… to my disappointment, he just kept walking.  He looked at me and then looked away.

I was mad.  No, I was livid.  How could he not remember me?  He remembered me alright, but could he be too macho to say hello?  “okay jerk. You lose.”  I started dancing with an old guy.  After that tanda, I sat down and saw this jerk that couldn’t give me the time of day now staring at me, motioning to ask me to dance.  I looked the other way.

Next tanda: he did it again.  He was looking at me and looking at me.  I started conversation with the other girl at the table.  Okay, the fourth time he caught my eye, I started feeling sorry for him.  Maybe he remembered who I was and he wanted to apologize.  So the fifth time, he motioned for me to dance, I sighed and said, “I have to go dance with this jerko now”.  When we met, I said to him, “Yo te conozco. I know you.”

jerk: Really? From where?
me: From here.  We met here exactly a year ago in a tango class.
jerk: I am not so sure. I really don’t remember you.
me: <sigh> no? a year ago, same place? We had such a great conversation!
jerk: I’m so sorry.  I just can’t remember.
me: You’re a pianist!
jerk: What? No. I’m an architect.
me: oh nooo.  My mistake.  I’m sooooooo sooooo sorry. I thought you were someone else.
jerk (the architect): ha ha ha ha – can we still dance?

We took those first steps.  He danced like my friend Carlos from Sao Paolo, but better.  We danced to Angel D’Agostino’s orchestra with Angel Vargas singing.  We danced another tanda later on that night to Triollo’s orchestra.

The next day, we had our first date.  We went to his best friend’s birthday party.  I met Dano, Vale and Mono that night.  The next night, on our second date, we went to El Beso.  On our third date, the following day, I met Martin – another best friend.  I extended my vacation another week.  I was only going to extend it a few days, but the next flight that I could get out on was the following Sunday.  On the Tuesday that I was supposed to leave, Javier took me to dinner at his grandmother’s house.  I met his mom, grandmother and great uncle.  I was happy.

I also started to get really sick to my stomach.  By the time I got to Chicago, my friend Cecilia picked me up at the airport.  Before I went back to work, I started hyperventilating again.  I was so stressed out to go back.  My nerves were a wreck.  I got shingles.  My body was telling me that I wasn’t supposed to be going back to my old life.

Javier called to say that he was going to come visit me for Christmas.  Then he tried to get an appointment at the US Embassy.  Not until mid-February.  So I was playing around online and found a one way ticket to Buenos Aires for $350.  I bought it!  I didn’t doubt my action for one moment.

I landed on January 6, 2006.  I moved here heart and soul that day.  No regrets.  Javier and I have lived together since that day.  He’s been patient as I had to learn to speak castellano.  He’s been there for me as I adjust to cultural differences.  He’s been there and grown more and more supportive of me in my journey through life – and our journey as a couple.  We travel together.  We grow.  I’m so lucky.

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