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Forget Paris
I've been doing a lot of thinking lately about my place here in Argentina, and since meeting two new friends who feel similarly, I've been discussing it as well. Earlier in the week I wrote about not feeling that I perfectly fit in here, or that something is amiss, but I couldn't quite tell what it was. I might be on to it by now.
One thing I keep doing is comparing my experiences here to those I had in Ecuador or other countries in South America. It's easy to understand why--I did after all spend a year there and it was a huge part of my understanding of Latin America. Now that Argentina is the second country I've been living in on this continent, it's only natural that I compare the two. But it's hard to match them up evenly and come away feeling totally happy, especially when I tend to romanticize the past.
That's one part of it. Another part might be all of the hype that Buenos Aires gets. A popular title for this city is "The Paris of South America." From the onset, you might think of that as a complement. But after living here for 2 months now, I think it's a title given by outsiders that's actually less of a laud for this city as it is more of an insult to the entire continent. In my opinion, saying that Buenos Aires is the Paris of South America is saying that this continent is so messed up that once you have made it through the terrors and backwards ways of the mountain and jungle countries and successfully arrived in Argentina, it will seem like heaven comparably. That doesn't make Buenos Aires a heaven, it just makes everywhere else a hell.
The people say it all themselves. Whenever I tell them I'm American but I'm living here they ask the same thing. "Why?" Why would I want to live here when I was already squared away in the United States? For many, it's a hard concept to grasp, and while they love their country, they're the first to point out its many problems. If given the opportunity, many would leave.
Come visit Buenos Aires. Experience it and make your own decision. I don't want to give a wrong impression here. I never want to scare people away from traveling--that would be against what I'm all about. But just remember that you're still in Latin America when you're here. And if you ask me, that's a good thing.
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Comments
Posted on 1/28/2010 by
Natà Reyes
Thank you so much for you feedback, it is definitely helpful.... I will be studying there the next five months. I leave in a few weeks! I have often wondered about not having a "typical" South American experience, since there is so much hype that it is European-like. Though, I believe it is a mix of the two -that is what attracted me to visit. :)
Posted on 1/30/2010 by
Jon Brandt
Thanks for the comments Nati. As a study abroad student, I'm sure you'll have a great time no matter what. It's a great city that's worth getting to know, and with more time here, you'll be able to see many different sides of it.
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