The landscape is burning...

Buenos Aires

The Argentinean government is burning thousands of acres of land for an reason that is unapparent to me. I can't make sense of the newspapers but it seems this is definitely a controlled effort. Unfortunately, the government failed to account for prevailing winds or just considers the health of its' citizens collateral damage.
I feel like I'm standing downwind of a tire fire. The smoke is like any other I have experienced. It pervades every aspect of my life here. For many hours I thought the smell of the smoke was actually myself - when showering and changing clothes didn't purge my olfactory glands - I came to my senses.
The smoke has made and increasingly difficult situation worse. I think I need to leave BA. It is just too much. There are too many people here - it is frustrating for me to always be in such close contact with so many strangers. Also, I find myself mentally awash here - it doesn't feel right.
I'm thinking about going to Cordoba - the "cultural and educational center of Argentina". It is about 1.3 million people - 10% of BA's size. I'll hold out until next week.
The senora of my household - Susana - finds humor in everything I do. She constantly advises me on cooking rice - something I do quite well. I still don't really know what she is trying to tell me about it - something about aluminum pots and using more water. Sometimes she wakes me up in the mornings to make sure I get to school on time. I don't need her to do this - I have an alarm and a sense of purpose, nevertheless her rusty voice echos in my dreams. She constantly reminds me to turn off lights, eat proper meals, and to always take a jacket. I don't remember paying for the "surrogate mother" option at the school. She is a loving old lady.
Susana wants me to tell her how long I'll be here, but I can't.
The Germans all leave this week, I think this will be good for me - I'll have to find new friendlies. I hope to use some of the recording equipment I brought with me. This Saturday I'll meet up with an American who plays guitar with some locals.