Julie Nagler – Argentina & Uruguay – First Impressions
Title: Delays and thunderstorms got nothing on us!
Well, the last couple of days have been an emotional roller coaster for the Argentina/Uruguay Dialogue of 2017. Long story short, mechanical issues with our flights caused an entire day-long delay of our arrival in Buenos Aires. While we were supposed to arrive early yesterday, we instead spent an unplanned night in Houston and arrived in Buenos Aires this morning. After spending over 14 hours in Logan on Friday, I can safely say I have a newfound disdain for airports. Fortunately, we managed to make the most of it with cards, pictionary, and lots of comfort food. Somehow though, despite the flight fiasco and the fact that it is full on thunderstorming today, I still have a very positive overall first impression of Buenos Aires.
I was immediately struck by the beauty of the city. The first thing I noticed was the architecture. The buildings alternate between gorgeous metropolitan skyscrapers and intricately detailed European-style residential buildings with charming balconies. I noticed that these buildings are adorned with flags of Argentina to commemorate their Independence day which took place on July 9th, 1816. I also caught a glimpse of the Obelisco, the icon of Buenos Aires, (comparable to the Washington monument in D.C.), a lovely mural of the renowned and adored Eva Perón, and drove down 9 de Julio, the widest avenue in the world!
In addition to the physical beauty, I was struck by the friendliness of the the porteños. Seeing as today is one of our only free days, I forced myself to brave the storm and take a stroll down the famously hip Avenida Santa Fe to grab a coffee and snack. I am fortunate that this is just a couple minutes away from my host family’s apartment in Retiro, a quiet neighborhood in Northeast Buenos Aires that neighbors many attractions. While my interactions with people today were minimal, each person was quick to offer a smile and the workers at the cafe were hospitable and accommodating. While devouring an unapologetically cheesy individual mozzarella pizza, I witnessed a sweet moment in which an elderly man dropped his silverware and an employee rushed to pick it up for him before he had a chance to bend down. Thankfully, my host family is no exception. My host mother, Lucia, greeted me warmly when I arrived at her apartment and quickly showed me around and asked if I needed anything. When I told her I wanted to go for a walk and explore, she ensured that I felt safe and made helpful recommendations before releasing me out the door. Seeing as this is my first time being in a foreign country for an extended period of time, her nurturing personality is definitely appreciated. Her daughter, Cecilia, is equally friendly and so are their adorable cats, Capitán and Gris, and their energetic puppy, Burma.
I was also pleasantly surprised to be refreshed by the slow pace of things here. Simply put, people are just not in a rush. For example, when I sat down at the table in the cafe, it took about 15 minutes for the server to acknowledge me. After I ordered my coffee and pastry, it took him server about 20 minutes to deliver it. After I finished and asked for the check, it took an additional 20. Being a typical New Englander who is used to rushing from one place to the next and mourning any lost seconds, I thought this would be a point of frustration for me. On the contrary, though, I felt that the slower pace allowed me to relax, savor every bite of my delectable pastelito, and take in my surroundings on a deeper level.
Despite the obstacles, the few hours I’ve spent in Buenos Aires today have been great. I’m looking forward to getting a formal tour of the city tomorrow, to all of our other adventures to come, and to not setting foot in an airport for an entire month.
