Love Affair

As most of you know, I have made it safely to Buenos Aires. I am not entirely sure where to begin in describing my experience thus far. I’ve only been in South America for one week and two days, but I have fallen MADLY in love. I’m in love with the city, the attractive people, the food, the dulce de leche, the wine, roaming dogs on the sidewalks, shopping, palm trees, architecture and everything else that would take too long to list here.

At times I feel a little bit like Carrie Bradshaw and her relationship with New York City. There are many instances when she refers to her relationship with the city as a dangerous “love affair”. Well, it’s definitely the same thing for me. This city has its own personality, sexiness and mystery and it has completely consumed me. I can’t get enough of this place. I could actually write a novel on the people alone. I’ve seen more attractive people in the past nine days that I have seen in my entire twenty-four years of life, I kid you not. The men are tall, dark, and handsome and have the GREATEST style and swagga. The amount of sex appeal they give off is intoxicating and should actually be illegal. The women are equally as beautiful. They are tan, thin and classy, so the two genders together…it’s overwhelming.

The personality of this city is the best of both Paris and Italy…but on steroids (with the looks of Georgetown). There is definitely a European influence here- very laid back, sophisticated and culturally elite. I almost feel as though whenever I walk by a building, museum, or garden etc… I hear a faint whisper, but can’t quite make out what is being revealed to me. This just makes my desire to understand the city even stronger. In other words, I am drawn to things here and just as I think I understand them something else is revealed and realize how much more I have yet understand. One thing at a time I guess.

My ADD has been at an all time high. I can’t stand still for a second because I fear I may miss something. I am literally being pulled in every single direction of what I want to pursue; the language? The traditions? The men? The culture? The shopping? The food? The layout of the city? The history? I can’t focus on any one thing because I want it all.

Just the other day I went into the famous bookstore, “El Ateneo” (an old opera house/ theatre) and I could not decide what to do first.

I must have mentally fought over 7 different books because I could not make a decision of one to buy (I wanted to read every single one and have all of them memorized). I ended up buying a quote book and “The Wizard of Oz” (both written completely in Spanish- I need to challenge myself right?).

The time here is so drastically different than anything I have experienced before. I wake up pretty early each day and sometimes walk to “Como en Casa” (my favorite café) for a café con leche-which is delicious and so strong I get high off one tiny cup. The only alone time I really have is the early morning. I am living in a student residence with 22 other people therefore, there is always someone around. My TEFL class starts at 10am and lasts til 5pm every day, Monday through Wednesday and then on Thursday’s and Friday’s we teach so the schedule is different. I never realized how complicated English is until this course. I suck at grammar and its NOT easy trying to explain to a “portena” (a local Argentine) what “personal, extremely, and cozy” mean. Seriously, try explaining those words to someone, without using their language or pictures etc. It’s hard. Anyways, dinner is not until 10 and people stay out to eat until about 12:30 or 1am and then go to the “Boliche”(club) at around 2am. This is something I will NOT get used to. This past week I allowed myself to indulge in everything- the freddo (ice cream) the nightlife and the shopping, but I must put a stop to it cause I will die. Coming home at 6am while the stores and café’s are opening is a VERY strange feeling. Almost like the feelings I had at Miami on Green Beer Day (but that was ONCE a year and this is every night…).

There are many walks of life here. I have made some incredible friends already. It’s kinda cool- the type of people who do things such as moving to a foreign country all alone to “FIND themselves” or pursue their traveling passions are not the every day people I am used to meeting. Each and every individual has their own past and story of how they ended up in the “Road House” and each person has such a chill attitude about where they will go next. I have never felt more like a hippy than I do in this new life. I am familiar with schedules, work, plans, comfort etc...but here, I am alone, new, on the outside, unfamiliar and “plan-less”. It is INCREDIBLE. I absolutely love not knowing what will happen next…it’s such a free feeling. I can literally do anything I want: live with a host family, move into a new apt, teach English, take a month off and take Spanish classes, move to Patagonia etc. Everyone needs an experience like this, that’s all I got to say.

Well, I could go on and on, clearly, but I have got to start reading my Spanish version of “The Wizard of Oz” with a Spanish/English dictionary of course. One page will take me about 45 minutes I’m sure…Anyways, more to come on my new life. I hope all the people I love and care about back home are doing fine and haven’t forgotten about me. I haven’t forgotten you all.

Until next time,

Besos