This list is in no particular order and includes things I've learned about Buenos Aires, myself and everything else in between.
1. Learning another language is HARD. Yes, I knew this before, but now, I truly understand it!
2. In Buenos Aires, traffic laws are completely optional. Except stopping at red lights. That is the one law everyone seems to follow.
3. Living alone in a foreign country where you don't speak the language means you will be forced out of your comfort zone every single day. This is both extremely challenging and wonderful at the same time.
4. There are tons of beautiful parks in Buenos Aires, everywhere you turn there is another park. And the people here truly take advantage of them. They are full of people walking, running, working out, just lounging around, etc.
5. Chile is one of the most beautiful countries in the entire world.
6. Customer service in Buenos Aires and customer service in the United States are not the same thing.
7. Time will pass faster than you ever imagined possible while living abroad.
8. When living alone in a foreign country, visitors are the best thing ever. Ever.
9. Learning a new language might be hard, but it is also worth it.
10. Ice cream in Argentina absolutely phenomenal.
11. In Argentina, 99% of the time, sushi has cream cheese in it. While this is something I have learned, it is not something I understand.
12. Skype is only as good as your Internet connection.
13. Three months is exactly the right amount of time to finally start feeling comfortable living in a different country, right as its time to leave again.
14. Three months is two months and three weeks too long to live in a hotel.
15. Toddlers speaking Spanish is the cutest thing ever.
16. Saying “I’m an American” while located anywhere other than the United States makes you sound like an arrogant asshole. Everyone else in Latin and South America is an American too.
17. Having a private yoga instructor is the greatest thing ever. I’m still trying to figure out a way I can afford this in the states.
18. Black beans and corn tortillas are not common foods in Argentina. I do not understand this.
19. Plane travel within South America is SO much easier than in the States. Liquids? No problem! Shoes? No problem! The security lines move fast because of this. It is lovely.
20. The lines most other places do not move fast. It’s not uncommon to wait for an hour to purchase your groceries.
21. It is also not uncommon that while you are waiting for an hour to purchase your groceries the cashiers working will be chatting to one another without a care in the world. No one cares if you have to wait.
22. Further to point 6 above – if you happen to find a live cockroach in your dinner – no one will care. There will be no bringing out of a new plate of food. Or an apology. And there will certainly not be an offer of a refund.
23. It’s important not to walk around while fooling with your cell phone. It will be stolen. And it will happen so fast you’ll have no idea how it happened.
24. While eating at a restaurant, you are welcome to stay and talk with your companions for as long as you want. No matter how many other people are waiting to sit down. Your waiter will never ever rush you. It’s fantastic. Unless of course you are the person waiting for a table.
25. In Argentina dinner doesn’t start till well past 9pm. Ever.
26. 99.9% of the cars are manual. If you plan to rent a car in South America, you had better know how to drive stick.
27. BAdelivery.com is the best thing ever. You can order online and have food come directly to you. No Spanish necessary!
28. Living without a cell phone is both annoying and kind of awesome.
29. I miss my dog more than I thought possible.
30. There is a lot to be said for an office full of music and laughter.
31. In South America you will get kissed a lot. A lot. Every day. Even in the office.
32. People here are extremely friendly.
33. It is not a myth that Argentines are good looking. They really really are.
34. People here love to run. I see hundreds of runners on my way to work every single day. Rain or shine.
35. The tap water here is perfectly safe to drink.
36. Leashes for dogs are optional. And people rarely use them.
37. The dogs here are extremely well behaved without said leashes.
38. It is not common practice to tip taxi drivers. They will be very excited if you give them a tip.
39. The first two weeks in a new country at a new job WILL BE HARD. And you will wonder if you made a mistake. You didn’t. You just need time to adjust. You will feel guilty that it’s so hard for you. You shouldn’t. You just need time to adjust.
40. You might think that living in a country gives you a chance to be a different (better) version of yourself. This is true. But what is also true is that you are still you, flaws and all, no matter where you live.
41. A well timed email or thoughtful note can cure an awful lot of loneliness.
42. It’s important to make sure that Skype works on your computer BEFORE you head to a foreign country.
43. It is much easier to pay with cash in Buenos Aires than to try and decipher whether or not you get a discount or a surcharge for using credit cards.
44. However, if you use cash in Buenos Aires be prepared for a nasty look any time you try to pay with a large bill for something small. Change is a bit scarce here.
45. It is possible that Argentines love sweets even more than those of us from the States do.
46. Peanut butter is a completely foreign concept in Argentina. They don’t eat it and they don’t understand why I eat it.
47. Metro workers strike in Buenos Aires a lot. An awful lot.
48. A kind encouraging word said when you are practicing your new language means an awful lot, and encourages you to keep trying.
49. It’s 100% normal to feel like a 5 year old when speaking in a foreign language.
50. I have a lot to be grateful for as a US Citizen.
51. I have a lot to learn.
52. There is excellent free undergraduate and graduate college education available to anyone in Argentina. I think this is incredible. If I lived here, I would totally go to school just to study things I want to learn. How amazing that would be!
53. In Buenos Aires it is extremely common to work in a normal entry level office type job while going for an undergraduate degree. Many of the people in my office work during the day and attend class at night.
54. People in Argentina are very proud to be from Argentina.
55. There are a lot of random holidays in Argentina.
56. There are some words that I just like better in Spanish. “Rapido!” “Siesta” “Por que?”
57. “Muy expensivo” is not actually a phrase in Spanish.
58. Working in a different country is totally challenging and awesome.
59. I learned more at NYU than I thought I did.
60. You have to ask for the check if you want to pay at a restaurant. They will not bring you the check unless you ask. Took me one very awkwardly long sitting by myself session at a small café to figure that one out.
61. Singing and dancing to the Backstreet boys in the office with your 22 year old co-workers is good for the soul.
62. While hotel living has its downfalls, having someone make your bed and clean your room every day is pretty nice.
63. I do not like cow stomach.
64. Tango is a beautiful and very sexy dance.
65. Empanadas are a perfect snack.
66. There are approximately twelve verb tenses in the Spanish language!
67. If you are bad at grammar in English, you will probably be bad at grammar in Spanish.
68. It is much easier to spell words in Spanish than in English - words are spelled exactly as they sound, every single time.
69. The traffic lights here, when you are stopped at a red one, go from Red to Yellow to Green - this leads to a very race car like feeling every time you are stopped at a light.
70. Dulce de Leche is a main staple "food" here.
71. People in Argentina hate spicy food.
72. Mate is a kind of loose leaf tea here that people drink constantly. It is a community affair. Everyone shares the same cup and straw and just passes it around.
73. You can buy anything here on a payment plan, and everyone does. Clothes, concert tickets, ipods, you name it, there is a "cuota" plan for it.
74. It is almost impossible to get a loan here which can make buying a home difficult for people.
75. The pizza here has about 5 times the amount of cheese that pizza has on it anywhere else in the world that I've visited. When it's done properly, it's delicious.
76. Mayonnaise is the most common condiment here. People put it on everything.
77. It is not abnormal to come strolling into work at 10am, sometimes even 10:30am.
78. In Spanish, if your parents are divorced and remarried, you call your parents spouse - "el esposo de me mama" or "la esposa de me papa" - you only use the term "Stepmom" or "Stepdad" to describe a step-parent if your natural parent is deceased. I found this to be a very interesting cultural difference.
79. On any given block you can find at least 2 and usually many more than 2 fruit and vegetable stores. They are awesome.
80. Here they eat every part of the cow. See my reference to cow stomach in #63 above.
81. When the temperature is around 60F people here bust out their winter coats.
82. Argentine Spanish is much different than other forms of Spanish. They have a very distinct accent here.
83. It is much more common here to take a 20+ hour bus ride to your destination than to take a plane
84. Cooking in a hotel room where all you have is a microwave, a single electric burner and a very old beat up pot is a challenge.
85. There is something to be said for eating food in its natural state, without all of the spices and sauces we like to put on everything in the US.
86. That said, there is also something to be said for spices and sauces.
87. Good are MUCH more expensive in Argentina than I imagined.
88. Services however are quite cheap. I cannot afford to buy clothes here, but I can afford a private yoga teacher.
89. McDonalds is extremely expensive here - $8 for a 10pc chicken nuggets anyone? (Yes, I've eaten at McDonalds a few times, and yes, it's embarrassing to admit that.)
90. The government here restricts peoples access to US Dollars. At first I didn't understand why this was such a big problem, I mean, I don't hold any other currencies myself. But when you live in a country where your currency (the peso) isn't convertible to many other currencies - this becomes a huge problem if you want to travel. For example - my Spanish teacher wants to go to Peru, but she only has Pesos, and in Peru, they won't exchange Pesos for their currency but they will exchange it for USD. So unless people here can get their hands on USD or EUR, their travel options are very limited (among other things.)
91. If you push yourself, you can surprise yourself.
92. Yoga is good for the body and the soul.
93. You will be surprised at the things that you miss (and don't miss) when living abroad.
94. Cafe con crema is delicious.
95. There is a tremendous amount of value in the laid back attitude of this country. It makes you really think about what is and what is not important.
96. Ceviche is yummy.
97. I know I already mentioned it once, but the ice cream? I mean wow. It deserves at least two mentions. If you come here, try it, from several different places. You will not be disappointed.
98. Argentina, while close to the ocean, has extremely limited seafood. Chile on the other hand is the land of fantastic seafood.
99. If you let them, people will surprise you.
100. Last but not least - living abroad is worth every single headache, inconvenience and challenge. Trust me on this one.
1. Learning another language is HARD. Yes, I knew this before, but now, I truly understand it!
2. In Buenos Aires, traffic laws are completely optional. Except stopping at red lights. That is the one law everyone seems to follow.
3. Living alone in a foreign country where you don't speak the language means you will be forced out of your comfort zone every single day. This is both extremely challenging and wonderful at the same time.
4. There are tons of beautiful parks in Buenos Aires, everywhere you turn there is another park. And the people here truly take advantage of them. They are full of people walking, running, working out, just lounging around, etc.
5. Chile is one of the most beautiful countries in the entire world.
6. Customer service in Buenos Aires and customer service in the United States are not the same thing.
7. Time will pass faster than you ever imagined possible while living abroad.
8. When living alone in a foreign country, visitors are the best thing ever. Ever.
9. Learning a new language might be hard, but it is also worth it.
10. Ice cream in Argentina absolutely phenomenal.
11. In Argentina, 99% of the time, sushi has cream cheese in it. While this is something I have learned, it is not something I understand.
12. Skype is only as good as your Internet connection.
13. Three months is exactly the right amount of time to finally start feeling comfortable living in a different country, right as its time to leave again.
14. Three months is two months and three weeks too long to live in a hotel.
15. Toddlers speaking Spanish is the cutest thing ever.
16. Saying “I’m an American” while located anywhere other than the United States makes you sound like an arrogant asshole. Everyone else in Latin and South America is an American too.
17. Having a private yoga instructor is the greatest thing ever. I’m still trying to figure out a way I can afford this in the states.
18. Black beans and corn tortillas are not common foods in Argentina. I do not understand this.
19. Plane travel within South America is SO much easier than in the States. Liquids? No problem! Shoes? No problem! The security lines move fast because of this. It is lovely.
20. The lines most other places do not move fast. It’s not uncommon to wait for an hour to purchase your groceries.
21. It is also not uncommon that while you are waiting for an hour to purchase your groceries the cashiers working will be chatting to one another without a care in the world. No one cares if you have to wait.
22. Further to point 6 above – if you happen to find a live cockroach in your dinner – no one will care. There will be no bringing out of a new plate of food. Or an apology. And there will certainly not be an offer of a refund.
23. It’s important not to walk around while fooling with your cell phone. It will be stolen. And it will happen so fast you’ll have no idea how it happened.
24. While eating at a restaurant, you are welcome to stay and talk with your companions for as long as you want. No matter how many other people are waiting to sit down. Your waiter will never ever rush you. It’s fantastic. Unless of course you are the person waiting for a table.
25. In Argentina dinner doesn’t start till well past 9pm. Ever.
26. 99.9% of the cars are manual. If you plan to rent a car in South America, you had better know how to drive stick.
27. BAdelivery.com is the best thing ever. You can order online and have food come directly to you. No Spanish necessary!
28. Living without a cell phone is both annoying and kind of awesome.
29. I miss my dog more than I thought possible.
30. There is a lot to be said for an office full of music and laughter.
31. In South America you will get kissed a lot. A lot. Every day. Even in the office.
32. People here are extremely friendly.
33. It is not a myth that Argentines are good looking. They really really are.
34. People here love to run. I see hundreds of runners on my way to work every single day. Rain or shine.
35. The tap water here is perfectly safe to drink.
36. Leashes for dogs are optional. And people rarely use them.
37. The dogs here are extremely well behaved without said leashes.
38. It is not common practice to tip taxi drivers. They will be very excited if you give them a tip.
39. The first two weeks in a new country at a new job WILL BE HARD. And you will wonder if you made a mistake. You didn’t. You just need time to adjust. You will feel guilty that it’s so hard for you. You shouldn’t. You just need time to adjust.
40. You might think that living in a country gives you a chance to be a different (better) version of yourself. This is true. But what is also true is that you are still you, flaws and all, no matter where you live.
41. A well timed email or thoughtful note can cure an awful lot of loneliness.
42. It’s important to make sure that Skype works on your computer BEFORE you head to a foreign country.
43. It is much easier to pay with cash in Buenos Aires than to try and decipher whether or not you get a discount or a surcharge for using credit cards.
44. However, if you use cash in Buenos Aires be prepared for a nasty look any time you try to pay with a large bill for something small. Change is a bit scarce here.
45. It is possible that Argentines love sweets even more than those of us from the States do.
46. Peanut butter is a completely foreign concept in Argentina. They don’t eat it and they don’t understand why I eat it.
47. Metro workers strike in Buenos Aires a lot. An awful lot.
48. A kind encouraging word said when you are practicing your new language means an awful lot, and encourages you to keep trying.
49. It’s 100% normal to feel like a 5 year old when speaking in a foreign language.
50. I have a lot to be grateful for as a US Citizen.
51. I have a lot to learn.
52. There is excellent free undergraduate and graduate college education available to anyone in Argentina. I think this is incredible. If I lived here, I would totally go to school just to study things I want to learn. How amazing that would be!
53. In Buenos Aires it is extremely common to work in a normal entry level office type job while going for an undergraduate degree. Many of the people in my office work during the day and attend class at night.
54. People in Argentina are very proud to be from Argentina.
55. There are a lot of random holidays in Argentina.
56. There are some words that I just like better in Spanish. “Rapido!” “Siesta” “Por que?”
57. “Muy expensivo” is not actually a phrase in Spanish.
58. Working in a different country is totally challenging and awesome.
59. I learned more at NYU than I thought I did.
60. You have to ask for the check if you want to pay at a restaurant. They will not bring you the check unless you ask. Took me one very awkwardly long sitting by myself session at a small café to figure that one out.
61. Singing and dancing to the Backstreet boys in the office with your 22 year old co-workers is good for the soul.
62. While hotel living has its downfalls, having someone make your bed and clean your room every day is pretty nice.
63. I do not like cow stomach.
64. Tango is a beautiful and very sexy dance.
65. Empanadas are a perfect snack.
66. There are approximately twelve verb tenses in the Spanish language!
67. If you are bad at grammar in English, you will probably be bad at grammar in Spanish.
68. It is much easier to spell words in Spanish than in English - words are spelled exactly as they sound, every single time.
69. The traffic lights here, when you are stopped at a red one, go from Red to Yellow to Green - this leads to a very race car like feeling every time you are stopped at a light.
70. Dulce de Leche is a main staple "food" here.
71. People in Argentina hate spicy food.
72. Mate is a kind of loose leaf tea here that people drink constantly. It is a community affair. Everyone shares the same cup and straw and just passes it around.
73. You can buy anything here on a payment plan, and everyone does. Clothes, concert tickets, ipods, you name it, there is a "cuota" plan for it.
74. It is almost impossible to get a loan here which can make buying a home difficult for people.
75. The pizza here has about 5 times the amount of cheese that pizza has on it anywhere else in the world that I've visited. When it's done properly, it's delicious.
76. Mayonnaise is the most common condiment here. People put it on everything.
77. It is not abnormal to come strolling into work at 10am, sometimes even 10:30am.
78. In Spanish, if your parents are divorced and remarried, you call your parents spouse - "el esposo de me mama" or "la esposa de me papa" - you only use the term "Stepmom" or "Stepdad" to describe a step-parent if your natural parent is deceased. I found this to be a very interesting cultural difference.
79. On any given block you can find at least 2 and usually many more than 2 fruit and vegetable stores. They are awesome.
80. Here they eat every part of the cow. See my reference to cow stomach in #63 above.
81. When the temperature is around 60F people here bust out their winter coats.
82. Argentine Spanish is much different than other forms of Spanish. They have a very distinct accent here.
83. It is much more common here to take a 20+ hour bus ride to your destination than to take a plane
84. Cooking in a hotel room where all you have is a microwave, a single electric burner and a very old beat up pot is a challenge.
85. There is something to be said for eating food in its natural state, without all of the spices and sauces we like to put on everything in the US.
86. That said, there is also something to be said for spices and sauces.
87. Good are MUCH more expensive in Argentina than I imagined.
88. Services however are quite cheap. I cannot afford to buy clothes here, but I can afford a private yoga teacher.
89. McDonalds is extremely expensive here - $8 for a 10pc chicken nuggets anyone? (Yes, I've eaten at McDonalds a few times, and yes, it's embarrassing to admit that.)
90. The government here restricts peoples access to US Dollars. At first I didn't understand why this was such a big problem, I mean, I don't hold any other currencies myself. But when you live in a country where your currency (the peso) isn't convertible to many other currencies - this becomes a huge problem if you want to travel. For example - my Spanish teacher wants to go to Peru, but she only has Pesos, and in Peru, they won't exchange Pesos for their currency but they will exchange it for USD. So unless people here can get their hands on USD or EUR, their travel options are very limited (among other things.)
91. If you push yourself, you can surprise yourself.
92. Yoga is good for the body and the soul.
93. You will be surprised at the things that you miss (and don't miss) when living abroad.
94. Cafe con crema is delicious.
95. There is a tremendous amount of value in the laid back attitude of this country. It makes you really think about what is and what is not important.
96. Ceviche is yummy.
97. I know I already mentioned it once, but the ice cream? I mean wow. It deserves at least two mentions. If you come here, try it, from several different places. You will not be disappointed.
98. Argentina, while close to the ocean, has extremely limited seafood. Chile on the other hand is the land of fantastic seafood.
99. If you let them, people will surprise you.
100. Last but not least - living abroad is worth every single headache, inconvenience and challenge. Trust me on this one.
Love this! Nicely done :) - Em
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Em! It has been an amazing experience for sure.
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