Even though this post is entitled "My First Thoughts", these are not my very first thoughts upon arriving to Buenos Aires (because, after a 10 hour flight, my first thoughts were "Where is the nearest bathroom?!"). Rather, this is a preliminary survey of my thoughts and experiences in Buenos Aires from this past week.
1) This is a lot like Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico.
When I flew to the Monterrey airport, the customs were similar, the language was the same, and all of the signs were also in Spanish, then English. Also, there was a lot of greenery: trees, grass, etc. (Coming from Arizona, this is absolutely worth noting.)
2) This is a lot like Rocky Point, Sonora, Mexico.
Yes, again, the language is the same. But another similarity is the overwhelming presence of trash. Street curbs and sidewalks are filthy, as littering seems to be an unenforced issue.
A curious blend of modern and ancient architecture with decrepit buildings, all crammed together, gave me serious deja vu when I first drove through the city.
4) Hey, that looks like the Berlin Wall, before it was torn down.
Graffiti is on nearly every wall here. I'm sure that is true of every major urban area in the world, but the best part of this graffiti is that, for the most part, it has a purpose. It is either political commentary or beautiful, abstract art.
5) This looks like nothing I've ever seen before.
I know that I just listed a bunch of places that it looks like, but in no other place can you find the blend of all of these traits, with the culture, smells, and sounds of this city.
6) Holy cow, people here speak super fast with a non-familiar accent.
I probably say "Lo siento, una vez mas" (Sorry, repeat what you said) more often than is necessary, but between the castellano accent and the super fast speeds at which people talk, this is definitely NOT classroom, textbook Spanish. Fortunately, most people will slow down and use easier vocabulary for my benefit.
7) Where are my to-go coffee cups?!
Nowhere. There aren't in the Coto (think: Walmart), nor were they in the souvenir shop at the zoo. Culturally, having cafe is an experience that includes sitting down, ordering a pastry and coffee, and relaxing and talking with friends or reading the paper. Actually, the Starbucks has to-go cups, but only US Americans use them. And between the blond hair and the 'wide-eyed tourist' look, I don't need another way to stand out as a US American.
8) They eat late here. I'm hungry.
At about 7 pm, I want dinner. I eat at about 8:30 pm on an early night, and 10 pm on an average night. The struggle is real, especially when lunch is at noon. Luckily, the food is worth waiting for!
Of course, I'm still learning so much about the city and its inhabitants, and I'm so excited to continue this encompassing education every day for the next 8 months!
Besos,
Tina the Exploradora
