BUENOS AIRES — I seem to understand my host family a little better every day. Sometimes they come to me with English questions, and they have even asked me about things on eBay. I have been to some unforgettable places here in Argentina, and I’ve eaten at some stellar restaurants, but most of my favorite memories so far are of sitting around the TV with my family eating Chinese take-out and watching soccer highlights or the Simpsons dubbed in Spanish. (Side note: the Simpsons are very popular in Latin America.) And now, a couple of lists:
Things that are in Buenos Aires/Argentina that aren’t in Middlebury/the U.S.:
- People standing on the corner handing out pamphlets/ads/sales, etc. And a surprising number of people take them and look, and drop them on the ground.
- The light changes to yellow after the red light to warn you green is coming next. Still haven’t figured out the benefits to this.
- Good money. I strictly mean the physical paper. Bills from the U.S. government stay crispy for longer. Most of the bills down here are crumply and ripped. I now appreciate crisp.
- A love for mayonnaise. I mean a serious countrywide love affair. Everyone eats mayo with everything. Mayo and ketchup is simply known as “Salsa golf.”
- Dog crap. Everywhere. All over the sidewalks. At least half of it has been stepped on a few times. On warmer days the smell just permeates. I don’t wear my white Nikes anymore.
- Constant ’80s music. In taxis, clubs, bars, restaurants, and McDonalds. They simply love their ’80s here. Pop, rock, it doesn’t matter as long as it had great hair and spandex.
- Mate. Argentines love their mate — a kind of tea. They drink it all the time. Mate is usually a social drink with its own ritual and etiquette.
- Night owls. Most clubs don’t even open until 2 or 3 a.m. and late-night food places are packed after sunrise. Someone should suggest this to the Grille.
- Empanadas. Delicious. Really good.
- Cigarettes. It’s very different to be in a place where a large portion of the citizens regularly smoke.
- Military time. Why? Not sure. The only good thing is that you don’t accidentally set your alarm for p.m. Otherwise it only confuses me.
- Ham. See mayo and ’80s music.
- Strikes. Almost every day, local students take over a street with loud drums, chants and signs. Bus drivers don’t even blink an eye as they go around them.
Things that aren’t in Buenos Aires:
- Hot food. Mexican, Thai, you name it, they don’t like it. It took me a few weeks to find some “hot” sauce down here. For whatever reason, Argentines don’t like much spice in their food. It’s a shame.
- Street signs. Okay not really true, but a lot of corners in Buenos Aires don’t have both street signs up which makes being lost so much worse.
- Cold winters. But that doesn’t stop locals from dressing like it’s Vermont in January. I’m serious. Full-length down jackets, scarves, hats, mittens on 40 degree days. They just don’t get it.
- XXX vitamin water. I could list foods I miss, but I don’t want to be that kid. I do love XXX though.
- Lax bros. Thank God.
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