I’m proud to say I am quickly adapting to life in Buenos Aires. I’m getting to know my host mom, learning to navigate without Google Maps, and settling into another semester of school. I am taking four courses at three different universities: one at Universidad del Salvador, another at Universidad de Buenos Aires, and two taught by my study abroad program’s affiliated professors. Because these courses only meet once a week, I only have class two days a week. As one of my friends observed, I’ve inverted the regular week because my weekends are now five days long! I don’t know what I’m going to do with all this time on my hands; I guess I’ll have to truly take advantage of city life.
And I feel there’s no better way to experience a new place than through its food. I’ve been spending much of my time off in Buenos Aires’ many cafés. You can’t walk a block here without coming across a cozy little spot serving delicious $1 coffees and pastries. Most are open late, and you’ll often find older couples or families enjoying an evening cafecito together. I’ve realized that it’s absolutely imperative to eat something between lunch and dinner here, since Argentine lunch is small and their dinners often don’t start until 10 pm. So I looked to the locals and have been hitting a new cafe most evenings to make sure I don’t starve.
The other melas I’ve had here have been pretty… okay. I’m used to well-seasoned spicy food, which is not Argentina’s jam. The pasta is incredible, the meat is amazing, but other dishes I’ve tasted have just missed the mark. Quitting hot sauce cold-turkey has been difficult. But Argentina’s dishes make up for their lack of seasoning with their quality. For example, I picked up a head of lettuce at the grocery store and have been munching on it like candy. America, listen up: lettuce doesn’t have to taste like tap water!
The other night after class – evening courses are extremely common here – I went out to eat with some classmates. We met up at a burger place with some Argentine friends of one of my classmates. (Note: America does burgers better, but Argentina definitely does beef better, so no complaints.) I have to admit I was nervous to meet locals; what if my Spanish wasn’t good enough? But I’d made a pact with myself to play “yes man” while studying abroad, because the last thing I want is to leave with regrets. So along I went, and when I realized no one was judging my language skills, I slipped comfortably into Spanish mode. Afterwards, we played pool and I went home late, very full and very happy.
There are a million and one things to do in this beautiful city, but one thing every porteño can agree on is: first, we eat. With every meal I try here, I’m learning more about Argentina’s cultural customs and values. If I’m lucky, I’ll leave the table with new friends, new stories, and a richer understanding of Argentine life.
