So I keep complaining about how hot it is in Buenos Aires in December, but I swear it is not just me being prissy--things are starting to get crazy here.

This week--and last--have been the hottest weeks on record in 43 years, and we're right in the middle of it.

Official temperature highs in Buenos Aires have been above 30C since the beginning of December, but humidity and other factors have made it feel like the mid-forties -- and it is likely to stay that way until the New Year.

I know it gets hot on the east coast, and in many other parts of the country, but it's not the same here as it is in the US. When we have record highs, everyone comes into the air conditioning. When Argentina has record highs, power and water go out, and the people begin protesting in the streets.

Coming face-to-face with some of this country's un-escapable problems makes me realize how spoiled I really can be. For example, I was initially complaining about our host's lack of AC in this heat-wave, but I've realized since then that she has no choice in the matter. Many of the homes down the street have no power and no water, and if we turn the air on, it is possible that we will lose all our power. And because electricity is required to pump water from the streets to the homes, if there is no power, then there is no water. So the fact that she turns on the air at all during the day is a risk, and one she does on our behalf.

The Argentinian government has recently declared Buenos Aires in a "state of emergency" as power and water are out all over town. This has not impacted us personally, but our host has plenty of friends who have been without water or air. Local papers are calling the electricity companies out, and those who oppose the president, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, see this as a sign that her reign is coming to an end (more on that topic later).

Tomorrow, we leave for Uruguay, where we will hopefully have some kind of respite from this heat. Because of the protests and the power outages, offices are going to be shut down for the day tomorrow, hopefully it will not be too much of a problem as we try to get to the airport.