Visible Differences: Buenos Aires (MO)

A typical dinner with some friends

One of the most important aspects of an argentine's personality is that they are social. Being social runs some of the most important aspects of your everyday life in Argentina. I noticed this on my second day here, when my host mom asked me if  I was going to go out that night? My reply was that no, I was not going to go out becuase it was a Tuesday.....and I had classes the next day. When my host mom heard that response she seemed flabbergasted. She just could not understand how it being Tuesday and how me having classes played any role at all in the fact that I was choosing to not go out. She then proceeded to explain to me that no matter the day all Argentines go out and that she had plans to go drink champagne and eat sushi with her friends starting at 11. That was the next shock of the conversation. I could not possibly understand how she was going to leave the house at 11...what time would she be getting back then? She explained to me that she would be cooking me dinner around 10 and that after dinner she would be going out. You know it...as soon as I heard that sentence I started to panic...but it was already 5:30 and my stomach was growling... The idea that Argentines do everything later in the day was definitely an adjustment, but I am used to it by now. Instead of going to bed around 11 like I do in the U.S., I head to bed around 1 or 2 here. Luckily my classes also start later in the day and therefore the rest of my schedule is pushed back accordingly.

Borges is my favorite argentine man...if you do not
know who he is, go read his work immediately

Continuing with the subject of food, the food in Argentina is much different than in the U.S. Besides the fact that we eat dinner around 10 at night, breakfast is also not as prevalent here. A typical breakfast consists of coffee, and a croisont. I am lucky to say that I have the option to eat some toast and Dulce de Leche (which may be heaven) every morning. 

My host mom is an amazing chef, so for the one meal a day that I eat with her, which is typically dinner, she cooks amazing things. She always asks me if there is something that I want in particular, and if it is feasible she will make it for me. Tonight she is making mac and cheese for example. She also has recently looked up the recipe for pierogies, to make some homemade ones for me in the future. My host mom does buy all of the food in the house and typically at the local grocery store, which is similar to a really small giant eagle. My host mom does go to the butcher, and to the vegetable stand weekly to buy fresh produce..which I greatly appreciate.

Mate is Argentina's favorite drink

 Something that is very interesting about mealtimes in Argentina, is that it is very common for the TV to be playing in the background. There is always background music and if need be it always supplies a topic to talk about in those awkward times of the meal. My host mom and I usually have very intense conversations during dinner about politics, immigration, or different aspects of Argentine and American culture. 

Transportation in Buenos Aires is something that is extremely different in comparison to what I am used to in Meadville and in upstate New York. I use public transportation everyday to get around the city, and I have not been in a private car in 7 weeks. One of my friends actually rode in a car with their host parents last week, and I was mesmerized by the idea that they actually had a car. My host mother does not know how to drive, which also seems to be a very common trend here in Buenos Aires.

One of Buenos Aires' many beautiful subte stations

 There are many different types of public transportation. El subte (subway), colectivo (bus), and taxi seem to be the most common forms of transportation and what I stick to using in my weekly routine. The one alarming aspect of using public transportation here, is the safety of it. The public transportation is not really that safe, especially at night after midnight, it is expected that you only take a taxis. The most common problem on the buses and subways is robbery. Stealing cell phones in Buenos Aires is very common. I have been told hundreds of times by porteños not to take my iphone out while in public and to not speak English in the transportation because that will draw attention to myself. For this reason when entering the subway in the morning you can always assure that I am ¨front-packing¨ (wearing my backpack on the front). The downfall of taking taxises in Buenos Aires is that there are imposters. There are always taxi cars driving around that you are not sure if they are real or not. The only way to be completely certain about the taxi is to call before and reserve one. This is something that I do not really enjoy doing and does not seem super practical at 5 in the morning when everyone is leaving the boliches (discos).  One positive aspect of public transportation here is that one subte ride costs about 4 pesos which is equivalent to 20 US cents, and based on my frequent use within a month period the price can drop to almost half. As well, the subte line that I take everyday is the oldest in the southern hemisphere, so everyday I always get to experience a bit of history.